Ingeborg Beyer Sapp, 89
Dan McClelland
Plattsburgh resident Ingeborg Beyer Sapp, 89, died Tuesday night, August 23, 2022.
Ingeborg (Inge) Beyer was born on October 16, 1932 in Leipzig, Germany. At a young age she was exposed to the harsh reality of World War II and lived under the dreary conditions of East Germany after the war.
As a young girl she joined the local rowing club and quickly distinguished herself as an exceptional rower. Rowing races exposed her to life in West Germany and she yearned for the better life it offered.
On February 28, 1951, at the age of 18, she packed two pieces of luggage, kissed her parents goodbye and headed toward the border between East and West Germany. That night, between the changing of guards, she and a friend dashed across the border towards what they hoped would be a better life.
Many years later, at an outdoor Shakespeare play in West Germany, a chance encounter led to her meeting and eventually marrying her husband of forty years, Dr. Robert Wall Sapp. They had two children, Randolph (Andree) and William (Allison Burdette).
Inge traveled extensively throughout the United States and the World. Some of her trips included Hawaii, Alaska, China, Europe and Africa. Despite these travels, her favorite region was the North Country, especially the family camp on Eagle Crag Lake.
She was passionate about the Adirondacks and instilled a love of nature and the outdoors in her children and grandchildren. She shared her knowledge and experiences through her art, story telling, and books. She also authored wilderness poems known as Inge’s Notebook which were published weekly in the Tupper Lake Free Press for several years. Inge raised her family in Tupper Lake, before moving to Plattsburgh in 2001.
Inge was an avid dog lover and always had a dog beside her. Her most recent dog, Molly, was a rescue dog who she loved dearly. In addition, Inge was a keen observer of nature's creatures and it was not uncommon for her to help mend a wild bird or animal that was injured.
Inge strongly believed in giving back to the community and actively volunteered in numerous organizations during her lifetime. Some of these include: Friends of Mount Arab, Coordination of the Transport of Cancer Patients from Tupper Lake to Plattsburgh, Adirondack Mountain Club, Planned Parenthood of the North Country, Plattsburgh Public Library, and the League of Women Voters of the North Country.
She leaves five grandchildren: Maile Sapp, Everett Sapp, Hillary Burdette-Sapp (Taylor Warren), Hayes Burdette-Sapp and Harper Burdette-Sapp. Inge was predeceased by her husband Robert in 2001.
A celebration of life will be scheduled during the summer of 2023 in Tupper Lake. The family suggests donations to the League of Women Voters of the North Country or Friends of Mount Arab.