Location: F-Pierce

Born: October 14, 1918 Venedocia, Van Wert County, Ohio

Died:  June 13, 2006 Temple, Bell County, Texas

Parents:
Roxy Pearl Rauch (1890 – 1980)
Margaretta Jenkins Rauch (1895 – 1969)

Spouse:
Jo Helen Eichelberger Rauch (1925 – 1999)

Johnny was the son of Roxy P. and Margaretta Rauch. Johnny married Jo Helen Eichelberger on April 11, 1946, in McGregor.

He served in the Army Air Corps in World War II as an Aviation Cadet and Military Policeman from March 1944, until December 1945.

Johnny started his fire service career as a volunteer fire fighter in Van Wert, Ohio from 1940 until March 1944. Following his discharge from military service he became employed by the Waco Fire Department in July, 1947, and served as a firefighter, fire inspector/investigator, company officer, and Assistant Fire Marshall. He also served as City of Waco and McLennan County Civil Defense Director. He was active in the recovery of the disastrous 1953 Waco tornado.

He was a member of numerous Professional and Technical Associations and Societies; serving as Board Member and Officer in many of them. He received several honorary recognitions including Life Membership, International Association of Arson Investigators; Life Member, Texas Chapter, International Association of Arson Investigators; Life Member, Texas Fire Marshals’ Association; and Life Member, International Association of Fire Chiefs.

He remained active in many of these associations since his retirement and has served for 52 consecutive years as both staff and guest instructor at the Annual Municipal Fire School at Texas A&M University.

He was an active member of the Grace Presbyterian Church in Temple.

He was preceded in death by his wife, on Dec. 2, 1999; his parents; brother, Captain Donald J. Rauch, U.S. Army Air Corps, died during World War II.

They have daughter, Deborah R. Jones, of Temple; granddaughter, Mrs. Melissa DeGroot, of Norway, Mich.; grandson, Mr. James B. Jones II, of San Marcos, Texas; great-grandson, Reed Logan DeGroot; and niece Mrs. Donna Bowker, of Torrance, California.