1963-2026
Eva-Maria Sabata (Derksen) passed away Friday, September 4, 2026, in Herington, Kansas.
She was born in Kalkar, Germany, on March 1, 1963 to Ewald and Gudrun (Brunhild) Derksen. Eva's childhood on the farm was filled with loving the animals (primarily the cats) and bike rides. She attended school in Kalkar and graduated in 1981.
Shortly after graduating and on a chance evening at a disco tech, Eva met John Sabata while he was stationed in Germany. While John could not woo Eva with his broken German, Eva and John would still go on to marry in 1983 and welcome their son, David Michael. The family moved to the United States in 1985 and soon welcomed their daughter, Sarah Lee.
Eva spent the following years making the house in Herington a home for the family. She was never idle, always tackling home renovations and taking care of her ever-growing flowers. She welcomed numerous kittens into the home over the years, some chosen and some chosen via the cat distribution system.
Over the years, Eva enjoyed spending time at the lake, being surrounded by the calmness and beauty of it. She rediscovered her love of riding a bike and rode almost daily to the lake, alone or with her son, an avid bicyclist. Recently, Eva and her two children shared a bike ride around the lake, reminiscing of childhood memories (including unforgettable spillway story involving David).
Eva went on to attend Kansas State University and graduated in 2008 with her Bachelor's in Social Work. She went on to obtain her Master's in Social Work at Washburn University in 2009 and later, her clinical licensure. Eva spent her professional years providing counseling, with a strong passion in caring for the aging population.
Eva was preceded in death by her parents, brother, Heinrich Derksen, and partner, Jerry Davis (2017)
Eva is survived by her current partner, Terry Schroeder of Herington; former spouse and forever friend and family, John Sabata of Herington; son, David Sabata of Herington; daughter, Sarah Sabata of Kansas City; sister Christine Gartz (Franzel) of Germany; nieces Stephanie Rene' Jansen and Lisa-Maria (Bastian) Themmek.
The family will have a private gathering at a later time and will have an inurnment in Germany where Eva can be laid to rest with her family.
