John (JT) Thomas Sauntry

From Phil Sauntry (his son):

Philip's Father was educated at Wayne University in Nebraska and became

a business teacher. Subsequently went to Kalispell Montana where he had a business College and organized the business department for the local high school. He met his future wife, Agnes Berne in Kalispell and they were married on Thanksgiving Day in 1910. Daughter Katherine was born in 1911, Justin T. in 1913 and John Philip in 1915. In 1919 they left Kalispell and moved to Tacoma, Washington, where "J.T." was active in the Insurance Business and was Secretary-Treasurer for the big Carstens Meat Packing Company. In 1929 they moved to Seattle, Washinton. After Mrs. Sauntry died, "J.T." who had always said that if ever he was widowed, he would like to spend his last years at St. Martin's Monastery in Lacy Washington. For years he never missed the annual retreat which was held by the Benedictine Fathers at St. Martin's Abbey and College. The Benedictine Fathers accepted him as a “lay Brother” in January 1961. For many years, "J.T." had been the chief Auditor for State Institutions in the State of Washington, so when he entered the Abbey, the Abbott kept him busy in the records department. He died on July 17, 1971 at age 90.