Edmund "Ross" Sawtelle Jr.

Maine – Edmund “Ross” Sawtelle, 90 passed away peacefully, surrounded by his three children and their mother on March 18, 2021.  After a lifetime of travel, living and working on five continents, Ross ended where he wanted to be, filled with love, in Maine.

Ross was a strong family man, loving and devoted father, outstanding role model, loyal friend and natural mentor!  Generally, a quiet man with a dry sense of humor, Ross spoke with purpose.  He loved nature and birds, a good book and a thick steak, history, jazz and seeing the world.  He attended St James School in Maryland, and received his Bachelor of Science in Geology from Union College in New York, and Masters of Science in Geological Science from Michigan State University.  A Sigma Phi fraternity member at Union, he helped build their Rathskeller, which 70+ years later remains an important part of daily Union life. 

Ross started his successful twenty-nine year career with Mobil Oil as an intern in Venezuela, followed by positions of ever-increasing responsibility in Europe, throughout Africa and the United States.  Following a short hiatus after his retirement, Ross reentered the work force as the Country Director for the International Executive Service Corps in Jordan and Morocco, and finally in Hungary as the Eastern Europe Branch Director.  There, Ross was instrumental in their 1990’s campaign providing assistance to Eastern Europe’s transition to a free-market economy.  

Ross is survived by his three children, Mikaela (husband Stuart), Katarina (fiancé Jens), Ross (wife Dianne); grandchildren, Danielle and David; first wife, Anna Kristina Sawtelle; half-sister, Nancy Harris; extended family, by blood and marriage in the United States and Sweden; and MANY friends across the world.  He is pre-deceased by his younger sister, Clunet “Salty” Gebhardt.

At 84, as “The G-father”, Ross joined the Bahrain Black Hash House Harriers.  He has now joined the Celestial Hash.  ON ON.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made online to Union College (union.edu/give, in “Designation” field type: "Edmund R. Sawtelle '52 Endowed Fund for Geology”).  Donations will ensure continued quality education for Union geology students.  Services will be held at St Peter’s Church by the Sea in October. 

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