Martha “Martie” Fox Sauter (MSW ’65) and Vernon L. Sauter (MSW ’65) say GSSW brought them “love at first sight” in two respects. They met on the first day of school and married the following summer, despite warnings from professors who thought marriage might jeopardize their education and the federal student stipends they were both receiving. It didn’t. In fact, their love for social work and each other intertwined throughout their MSW program and their subsequent careers.
The Sauters remained in Denver for three years after graduation, Vern working at Ft. Logan Mental Health Center and Martie working at Denver Mental Health Center. After moving to Amarillo, Texas, Vern was named Director of Social Work at the Psychiatric Pavilion, and Martie started the state’s first Mental Health Associate program at the local community college.
Three years later, Vern became Outpatient Director at Waco’s new Methodist Home Children’s Guidance Center, a position he kept until he retired 30 years later. Both the Sauters also had private practices and worked part-time at the local psychiatric hospital, Advocacy Center for Victims of Crime, chemical dependency treatment centers and other agencies.
Today, Martie’s long teaching career continues at McLennan Community College in Waco, where she shares her passion for the profession with mental health and social work students. “What better recommendation for a career is there,” she asks, “than to say you still love it after 45 years?”
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