Robert Karl Rausch

Robert Karl Rausch, 73, passed away peacefully on March 27, 2024, in Washington DC, after a valiant three-year battle with lung cancer. He had just completed 10 days of radiation treatment at the Lombardi Cancer Center of MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. His beloved wife of 45 years, Patricia Diane (Berry) Rausch, was at his side when he passed to the more immediate presence of our Lord. They were listening to Mozart's Symphony No. 41 ("Jupiter"). Bob Rausch born on October 8, 1950, in Columbus, Ohio, the youngest son of 1st Sgt. Lee Edward Rausch, U.S. Marine Corps, and Rosemary Patricia (Davis) Rausch. His father was a career Marine and World War II veteran, having served in the North African and European campaigns from 1942-45. His mother was a musician, a vocalist who sang professionally with military bands and combos. Bob's paternal ancestors were from the Palatinate in Germany, and his maternal ancestors were from County Laois in Ireland. Bob lived his early years in Indianapolis, IN; Barstow, CA; Clearwater Beach, Tarpon Springs and Miami, FL; and Cape Carteret. NC. It was during his middle-school years that he flourished while attending a private Catholic boarding school, Mary Help of Christians School, in Tampa, FL. He served as sacristan for Daily Mass, and was very inspired and encouraged by his favorite teacher, his band director, "Father Clementi." Bob played the French horn with the concert and marching bands, including marching in the Orange Bowl Parade in Miami, served as the school's official "vocal soloist" singing at school and community events, and was the "poster child" for their annual school calendars. Bob attended Miami-Coral Park High School and graduated in 1968 from West Carteret High School in Morehead City, NC. That year, he won the "North Carolina Outstanding Male Vocalist" award from the NC Federation of Women's Clubs. He also developed a love of community theatre. His first theatrical role was performing as El Gallo in the musical, "The Fantasticks," with the Coastal Playhouse on Emerald Isle, NC. His step-mother, Joan Marie (Redmond) Rausch, joined him in the cast. Bob also received a Congressional appointment to attend the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, but after careful consideration, turned it down to pursue his passion - music. He attended East Carolina University (ECU), graduating with a Bachelor of Music in music education (vocal/instrumental), followed by graduate studies at ECU, Peabody Conservatory of Music, West Chester University, and University of Maryland. Bob and Diane first met at ECU on October 24, 1973, during the intermission of a concert by the renowned French classical pianist, Philippe Entremont. At the time, Bob directed four choirs at Jarvis Memorial United Methodist Church, and conducted the Greenville Community Chorus. Diane was from Waldorf. MD, and also a Methodist and a musician, so Bob immediately invited her to join both choral groups, and she immediately accepted. Diane sang with Bob's church Adult Choir, and with the Greenville Community Chorus and orchestra for its performance of Handel's "Messiah" that year. After a five-year courtship, they married on August 13, 1978, at Placid Harbor Yacht Club in Hollywood, MD. The Rev. Keith Day, founding pastor of Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Waldorf, officiated. They honeymooned in the Pennsylvania Poconos, Ohio and West Virginia, and made their first home in Temple Hills, MD. They attended Oxon Hill United Methodist Church, sang together in its Adult Choir, and also with the Prince George's Community College Chorus. Bob and Diane began their professional careers on August 28, 1978. Bob taught music at Francis Scott Key Middle School in District Heights, MD, and Diane worked in the International Relations Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC. Bob spent 10 years as a band director in the Prince George's County Schools, including Forestville High School, Gwynn Park High School, and Baden Elementary School. In 1988, he moved to the Charles County Public Schools, and was a band director for 19 years, teaching first at Matthew Henson Middle School, and later Milton Somers Middle School, from which he retired in 2007. Throughout his 29-year teaching career, Bob's bands received excellent and superior ratings at county, tri-county, and state band festivals, as well as out-of-state festivals and competitions. Bob also received numerous awards, citations and distinctions, including professional certification as a Nationally Registered Music Educator, two separate listings in Who's Who Among America's Teachers, citations from the Charles County Board of Education, Charles County Board of Commissioners, the Maryland House of Delegates, and Maryland State Senate. Bob was honored to be featured on the cover of the Washington Post's Sunday Magazine on April 15, 2007, and included in the cover article entitled, "What Makes a Good Middle School - 30 of the Area's Best." In addition to the careers they loved, Bob and Diane demonstrated strong commitment to community service over the past four decades. Together they founded/co-founded and led three nonprofit 501(c)(3) arts and humanities organizations: the Southern Maryland Concert Band (1982), the Charles County Arts Alliance (1987), and Friends of Old Waldorf School Foundation (1992). All three organizations have continued to grow and thrive over the decades. Bob's proudest achievement was establishing and nurturing the Charles County Arts Alliance, which over the past 37 years has sought and received grants, and in turn has provided over $1 million dollars to support development of the Charles County arts community in music, visual arts, theatre, dance and literature - supporting arts organizations, arts education, and individual artists. At the time of his death, Bob served as Executive Director of the Charles County Arts Alliance. Following his retirement in 2007, Bob returned to his early passion for community theatre. He acted, music-directed, stage-crewed and construction-crewed in over 50 plays with the Port Tobacco Players, Tantallon Community Players, The Newtowne Players, Hard Bargain Players, Twin Beach Players, New Direction Community Theatre, Capital Fringe, Hexagon DC, The British Players, College of Southern Maryland, the Shakespeare Summer Theatre at St. Mary's College of Maryland, and the Watermelon One-Act Festival. Bob's first acting role onstage after 40 years was as the devious Fagin in the musical "Oliver" with the Port Tobacco Players, and Bob's final acting role was as the lovable Mr. DePinna (complete with Greek toga!) in the comedy "You Can't Take It With You," also with the Port Tobacco Players. Some of Bob's other favorite acting roles were: Joe Benjamin (Job) in "God's Favorite," the Pirate King in "The Pirates of Penzance," Rev. Hooker in "Dearly Departed," a Confederate soldier in "Rebel Yells," Vice Principal Panch in "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," the Narrator and Mysterious Man in "Into the Woods," Cedric Livingston in "Quartet," Victor Velasco in "Barefoot in the Park," H.C. Curry in "The Rainmaker," FDR in "Annie," Senator Wingwoah in "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," Inspector Crandell in "The Murder Room," Phillip Swidger in "The Ghost Before Christmas," and Jacob Marley in "A Christmas Carol." He also enjoyed being musical director for many shows - including DC Hexagon's political satire, "Mid-Term Madness," The British Players "Old Time Music Hall," and especially for Diane's stage debut several years ago as she sang and danced as Issachar's wife in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." In addition, Bob produced and directed several original one-act plays, including the stage adaptation of the children's book, "The Letter E Leaves the Alphabet," written by local author and dear friend, Martha Lane. During his retirement years, Bob was an active member of the Charles County Rotary Club. He was named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International in appreciation of his tangible and significant assistance in furthering better understanding and friendly relations among the peoples of the world. Bob and Diane enjoyed the Kennedy Center, Wolf Trap, and many other cultural venues and events in the Washington, DC area. They also enjoyed the Chesapeake Bay at their condo (Solomons Island), the Atlantic Ocean at their NC Outer Banks beach house (Duck), and the Arizona desert at their "hacienda" (Sierra Vista). Boating, swimming, jetskiing, parasailing, biking, hiking, history, reading and fine dining were favorite pastimes. Bob's foreign travels included the former Soviet Union (as guest music teacher), Italy, Germany, England, Scotland, Ireland, Finland, Bermuda, Bahamas, Jamaica, Canada, Mexico and China. In 1986, he was honored to meet Pope John Paul II in a private Solemn Audience in the Sistine Chapel of the Vatican in Rome, followed by a private luncheon with the Pope at his summer residence, Castel Gandolfo. Bob was accompanying Diane's NASA delegation in its celebration of international space cooperation for Halley's Comet. Bob was a member of St. Paul's Moravian Church in Upper Marlboro, MD, and served as its choir director during the 1980s and 1990s, and as a Trustee. During this period, he also volunteered as camp counselor for Moravian Camp Hope, as founder/conductor of Moravian Youth Bands for the Moravian Music Festivals, and as founder/conductor of Moravian Band Camps. For the past seven years, Bob and Diane have led a weekly Bible study group, the Good and Beautiful (GAB) Group, and they have read and discussed 21 books together with their church family. In addition to his wife Diane, Bob Rausch is survived by his younger sister, Anne Margaret Taplin, of Los Angeles, CA; his sister-in-law, Judith Ann (Hamilton) Carpenter, of Niceville, FL; his brother-in-law, James (Jim) Horace Berry, Jr., of Port Tobacco, MD, and their families, including numerous nieces and nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews. Bob's parents and older brother, Lee Emmett Rausch, of New York City, preceded him in death, as well as his father-in-law, James Horace Berry, his mother-in-law, Alverta Blanche (Anderson) Berry, brothers-in-law Claude Ricardo (Rick) Hamilton, Ralph Phillip Hamilton, and James Lloyd Hamilton, Jr. In addition, Bob's beloved Dalmatians, Kasper and Jasper, preceded him in death. Visitation will be held on Friday, April 26, 2024, from 2:00-4:00 pm, and 6:00-8:00 pm, including prayers at 7:00 pm, at Raymond Funeral Service, 5635 Washington Avenue, La Plata, MD, 20646. The funeral service will take place on Saturday, April 27, 2024, at 11:00 am at St. Paul's Moravian Church, 8505 Heathermore Boulevard, Upper Marlboro, MD, 20772. Interment will take place at St. Paul's Episcopal Church ("Piney Church"), 4535 Piney Church Road, Waldorf, MD, 20602. Any updates will be announced on the website of Raymond Funeral Service (www.raymondfuneralservice.com). Online condolences may be offered as well. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Charles County Arts Alliance, P.O. Box 697, White Plains, MD, 20695 (www.charlescountyarts.org).

Robert Karl Rausch

October 8, 1950 - March 27, 2024