Reginald Gideon Sauls IV

Reginald Gideon Sauls IV, 93, of Marshall, North Carolina, and formerly of Fallbrook died Friday, April 26, in Mission/St. Joe’s Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina, after a brief illness.

He was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1926, the son of retired U.S. Marine Reginald G. Sauls III and Lillian Kramer Sauls. He was preceded in death by his younger brother John, his father, his mother, his wife Anne Stewart Sauls, his daughter-in-law, Liza Nesbitt Sauls and U.S. Marine Gordon Bruce Matthews.

Reginald is survived by his daughter, Mary Sauls Kelly (Rob) of Marshall; his son Reginald G. (Rex) Sauls V of Rancho Cucamonga; his daughter Elizabeth Sauls of Asheville; a grandson Reginald G. (Reggie) Sauls VI (Yvette) of Beaumont; a granddaughter, Heather Sauls of Rancho Cucamonga and special friends Brenda Yusko and Bill West.

Reg was a quiet, sweet and stoic man of simple wants and savvy mind, with prejudice toward none. He was devoted and generous to his family, a loving dedicated caregiver to his wife. He was a graduate of the University of Michigan where he earned a master’s degree in education.

Reg lived a life of service to community and country. He was an Eagle Scout and had a 22-year career in the U.S. Marine Corps, retiring as a major. Too young to serve overseas, he served stateside in World War II in a mortar demonstration team. He was a veteran of the Korean War and the Vietnam War, where he went completely deaf.

Reg and his wife Anne retired to Fallbrook in 1970 where the children graduated high school. He was Scoutmaster to Boy Scout Troop 737 for 22 years, which met at the Fallbrook Veteran’s Foreign Wars Post 1924. He was awarded Scoutmaster of the Year in 1981 and a lifetime membership in the VFW for his service to scouting.

In retirement, Reg became a master quilter. His experiences as the only male and deaf member of the Fallbrook Quilting Guild are described in a 1995 San Diego Reader article, “Quilts of Silence.”

Before going deaf, Reg was a singer and dancer. He was a lifelong athlete, played center for University of Michigan football and shot an 80 in his first golf game. He was a Marine Corps handball and horseshoes champion. He participated in Madison County Senior Games and was North Carolina state champion in horseshoes for his age group. A big sports fan, he loved all teams University of Michigan, Asheville Tourists and Tiger Woods.

Reg loved fishing and spent many happy times with his wife’s family at their camp in Maine. He lived his last 13 years with daughter Mary and son-in-law Rob in Shelton Laurel, North Carolina, where he could fish in his yard and at all the other streams and lakes they frequented.

He loved his son-in-law’s family in Alabama. He enjoyed going to Asheville Tourists games with his daughter Elizabeth. He loved the barbecue and chili dogs at Old Creek General Store, and the Laurel Volunteer Fire Department Pig Roast and brownies.

The family wishes to thank the Hot Springs Health Program and Laurel VFD for their care and kindness to Reg. Donations in Reg’s memory can be made to the Laurel VFD, 4949 Hwy 212, Marshall, NC 28753.

A private family memorial will be held at a later date. Arrangements handled by Neptune Society and Garrett Funeral Home of Waynesville, North Carolina.