Inge E. Sargent (Sao Thusandi)
February 23, 1932 - February 5, 2023
Inge E. Sargent was born in Austria to Franz and Elfriede Eberhard. In 1951, while a student at the University of Graz, Inge was chosen as one of the first Austrian Fulbright students to spend a year at Colorado Woman's College in Denver. While there, she met her first husband, Sao Kya Seng of Burma, a student at the Colorado School of Mines. They married in 1953 and traveled to the Shan States of Burma where they planned to live. As their ship arrived in Rangoon, Inge discovered that her new husband was also the ruling Prince of Hsipaw, a large Shan State east of Mandalay. Inge thrived there as the Mahadevi of Hsipaw State, and the couple had two daughters, Mayari and Kennari. Together, Inge and her husband helped improve the lives of the Shan people; education, medical assistance, agricultural improvements and social equality were on the top of their list. However, in March
1962, the Burmese military put an end to their dreams and staged a devastating Coup, resulting in the assassination of Inge's husband.
After two years of house arrest, Inge was able to flee with her children and return to her native Austria. Two years later, Inge and her daughters returned to Colorado where she went back to school and received B.A. and M.A. degrees from the University of Denver and the University of Colorado. In Boulder, she met Howard (Tad) Sargent whom she wed in 1968. She taught German and English at Fairview High School from 1970 - 1987 and at Centennial Jr. High. After taking early retirement from teaching, Inge wrote "Twilight over Burma" about her life in the Shan States of Burma; Tad was her editor and the University of Hawaii her publisher. Inge and Tad never forgot the Shan people who were fleeing from the
Burmese army. Together, they founded Burma Lifeline, a (501(c)(3)) charity, to help these refugees survive. Inge and Tad ran Burma Lifeline for eleven years until they turned it over to Partners Asia, another charity, which continues their work.
In 2015, a film also titled "Twilight over Burma", was made about Inge's life in The Shan States; it is widely shown in German speaking countries. The producers decided to make both, English and German language versions of the film. A prize-winning Documentary, titled "The Last Mahadevi", also in English and German, was made in 2000. In her Shan name, The "Sao Thusandi Leadership Award" has been given annually for 15 years to a young Shan Person with exceptional leadership potential.
In Boulder, Inge was a longtime Hospice volunteer for the Bereaved Parent Group and for school-related activities. She received numerous awards as a teacher and as a humanitarian. Inge was preceded in death by Tad in 2022, her husband of over 53 years. Survivors include two daughters, Mayari (Dave), and Kennari (David), grandchildren Daniel and Hanna, her brother Gerd (Margit), a sister, and many nephews and nieces in Austria; she also leaves behind many Shan people who were very dear to her heart.
The Neptune Society is handling the necessary arrangements. There will be no service. The family may hold a private gathering at a later date to honor the lives of Inge and Tad.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to:
Burma Lifeline Fund Partners Asia
436 14th Street, Suite411
Oakland, CA 94612