ARCHBOLD, Ohio, June 30, 1997 – Erie J. Sauder, 92, founder of Sauder Woodworking Co. and the originator of the ready-to assemble (RTA) furniture industry, died in his Archbold, Ohio home on Sunday, June 29. A pioneer in the furniture industry, Sauder is credited for having invented a "snap-together" table that eventually revolutionized how millions of people would buy furniture.

Born August 6, 1904, Sauder spent his entire life in the northwest Ohio Mennonite community of Archbold. In 1934, he started a small woodworking business that grew into Sauder Woodworking Co., currently the nation’s leading producer of ready-to-assemble (RTA) furniture and the sixth largest manufacturer of furniture in North America. In addition to its RTA furniture business, Sauder Woodworking also is parent to two subsidiary companies, including Sauder Manufacturing, the country’s largest manufacturer of church furniture and a leading producer of institutional seating, and Archbold Container, a producer of packaging material. Sauder served as Chairman of the Board of Sauder Woodworking until his death.

A man of deep faith and a giving spirit, Sauder involved himself in a variety of community and philanthropic projects. In 1976, he founded Sauder Farm and Craft Village in Archbold, an 80-acre non-profit living history museum created to preserve the lifestyle of the pioneers who settled the Great Black Swamp area of northwest Ohio. Additionally, he was a founder of the Mennonite Economic Development Association, through which Mennonite volunteers enable Soviet and German World War II refugees to develop the wasteland of Chaco, Paraguay, into habitable and profitable land. Sauder made 18 visits to the Chaco, working with the native Paraguayan Indians to develop their colonies.

Sauder possessed a true community spirit. He also was honored by the Maumee Valley Girl Scout Council and the Ohio 4-H Foundation for his support of their programs. Additionally, he served the northwest Ohio business community as a member of many boards of directors, including the board of the Farmers and Merchants State Bank, the Sunshine Children’s Home and the Ohio Mission Board. For his overall dedication and generosity, Sauder was recognized with the Ohio Governor’s Award, the Archbold Citizen of the Year Award and induction into the Ohio Senior Citizen’s Hall of Fame and the Northwest Ohio Business Hall of Fame.

Despite having finished his schooling in the eighth grade, Sauder was a strong advocate for higher education and served as a trustee of Defiance College and an overseer of Goshen College. His dedication to the educational community earned him honorary doctorate degrees from the Ohio State University, Defiance College and Northwest State Community College.

Sauder is survived by his three sons, Delmar, Maynard (Carolyn) and Myrl (Freida), all of the Archbold area, and stepdaughter Elaine (Dave) Graber of Stryker, Ohio. He also leaves nine grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren, as well as his sisters Lucretia Rupp of Archbold and Herma Rychener of Smyrna, Tenn. He was preceded in death by his parents, Daniel and Anne (Schrock) Sauder, his first wife Leona, sister Mable and brother Leo.