Alvin Lynn Saathoff, 78, Adrian, Missouri, passed away Monday, October 3, 2016 at his home in Adrian. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, October 8, 2016 at the First Baptist Church in Adrian, with visitation from 12:00-2:00. Burial will be in Crescent Hill Cemetery, Adrian. Memorial contributions may be made to: Continua Hospice, Adrian Little League Baseball, or Adrian First Baptist Church. The family requests casual attire for the service.

Lynn was born October 18, 1937, the youngest of seven children, to Henry H. and Mary Ann (Shuhart) Saathoff near Walker, MO. The family moved to a farm southeast of Adrian, in March of 1948. He attended Rush School just up the road from the farm until it closed in 1949 and then attended Adrian R-3 School, where he graduated in May 1955. While in school, Lynn participated in track and pole vaulted and played on the basketball team. After graduation he worked at Sears and Roebuck until after Christmas and then went to work for a little feed store in Adrian, ran by Clayton Jenkins and Clyde Allen Roach. Then later he went to work for Foremost Dairies in Kansas City.

Lynn was a member of the First Baptist Church in Adrian, attending until his health prevented him from going last year. That church is where he met his wife of 57 years, Joyce Durbin. They were married there on July 11, 1959. After they were married they lived in Kansas City until the following March, when they returned to Adrian. Lynn always wanted to be a farmer, and after returning to Adrian he started farming with his brother Rogers. In December that year they moved to a farm just west of town and Lynn began milking. He milked and worked at the dairy until March and then quit the dairy to farm full time until 1985 when he gave up the farming struggle and went to work at Adrian School as maintenance where he worked until he retired in 2007.

Lynn and Joyce were blessed with three sons, Kevin, Kendal and Kraig. They and their families were his joy. He always enjoyed when they would come for Sunday dinner and after dinner he was always asking "anyone want to play cards?" And then the fun and laughter would begin as they played the crazy game of "Up and Down the River". Lynn was a charter member of the Adrian Optimist Club, but quit attending several years ago. He was an avid sports fan. It didn't matter what sport; he enjoyed watching them all. He especially enjoyed watching his grandsons, Kris and Kenny, play football the year the Blackhawks won the State Championship. He was one proud Grandpa! When Lynn's boys started playing Little League Baseball, he decided it would be a good idea for the younger teams to play each other at home rather than travel to other towns. Plus it made for more teams with fewer on each team and gave all the kids a chance to play. So he got to work planning and rounding up sponsors and got the job done. And it is still working today. He also coached several ball teams over the years.

Lynn was preceded in death by his parents, brothers, Marion, Rogers, and Lester, and his sisters, Aileen and Della Mae. He is survived by his wife, Joyce, of the home; sons, Kevin Saathoff and Kendal Saathoff, and girlfriend, Vicki, all of Adrian, and Kraig Saathoff and wife, Becky, Drexel, MO; one sister, Maxine Morey, Adrian; brothers-in-law, George Lee, Sheridan, OR, and Lewis Hardin, Kansas City, MO; sisters-in law, Goldie Saathoff and Vickie Saathoff, both of Adrian; 4 grandchildren, Kris Saathoff and wife, Dara, Adrian, Kenny Saathoff and fiancée, Andrea, Duncan, SC, Shelby Sutton, Adrian, and Jacob Saathoff, Dayton, MO; 8 great-grandchildren, Brayden, Presleigh, Noah, Avaleigh, Peighton, Elledeigh, Bentlie, and Kooper.