Rauscher Family Tree: Rauscher Family : Generation 5 : Arthur Leo Rauscher and Mary Francis English

(1) Arthur “Art” Leo Rauscher (my grandfather) was born 31 Dec 1925 in Rochester, NY to (2) Joseph Casper Rauscher and (3) Leona Loughlin Rauscher. He was the 6th child of 10. He died in Gordon, Wilkinson County, GA on 13 Oct 2008.

Mary Frances English (my grandmother) was born 1 Nov 1924 in Gordon, Wilkinson County, GA to Franklin Smith English (1892-1957) and Alice L Branan English (1901-1984). She was the older sister of Zelda English Myrick (1930-1989) and Jeanine English Webb (1934-2018).

On 6 Jan 1944, Art registered for WWII. He was 140lbs, 5’6”, had a light complexion, black hair, and brown eyes. He went to Robbins Air Force Base, in Warner Robins, Gerogia, for basic training to become a pilot. The war ended before he was deployed. After the war, he worked at Robins Air Force base as a draftsman.

While at Robins Air Force base, he met Mary Frances English at a dance. She was from Gordon, GA. They would soon marry, but it is not clear if they were married in Georgia or in New York. They then moved to Seneca, NY and started their family.

Art and Mary Francis Rauscher 40th. Anniversary

In the 1950 census, Arthur Leo is listed as a school bus driver and they have two sons, Arthur Franklin (1948) and Donald J (1949). But Mary Frances missed her family, so they moved back to her hometown of Gordon, Ga.

After moving to Gordon, Art worked at the Kaolin plant, Southern Clays. The plant would eventually change names and become Freeport Kaolin, and later Engelhard. Art was a machinist, draftsman, and design engineer.

On 21 Nov 1960, Art and Mary Frances had their 3rd and final son, Kevin.

In 1966, their family home burned down as the result of a grease fire. They rebuilt the home and lived there for the rest of their lives.

They also had a lake house located on Lake Sinclair near Milledgeville, GA. They would spend most of the weekends during the summer boating, fishing, and water skiing.

Lake Sinclair Cabin

Later in life, he also ran a professional upholstery business out of his shop, next to his home. He would re-upholster everything from furniture to fancy show cars. He also had many hobbies including boat building, inventing, billiards, country and gospel music, and golfing. As an inventor, he used his upholstery skills to create plastic pouches to safely store everything from fishing poles to tennis rackets. His love of music lead him to help his son, Kevin, produce a country record.

Art in his Shop

Art's Pole Pouches

Arthur Leo Rauscher died on 13 Oct 2008 of complications with his liver. He was 82 years old. Mary Frances English Rauscher passed away on 22 Oct 2014. She was 89 years old. They are buried next to one another in Ramah Community Cemetery in Gordon, Wilkinson County, GA.