George William Hausler

George William Hausler was born in Schenectady (upstate), New York, to George Max Hausler and Catherine Pearl (Broomhall) Hausler on March 25, 1939. He spent most of his childhood in a countryside setting, living in a Victorian farmhouse off of Schermerhorn Road (named after an early Dutch settler) on the outskirts of Schenectady, near the Erie Canal.

The family expanded – his brother Carl and sisters Cathy and Beth joined the household. George became a pitcher on the Schenectady Little League, his first team sport. He attended Mont Pleasant High School until the end of his junior year, when his father, an electrical engineer with General Electric Corp., was transferred to the new Waynesboro, Virginia, plant.

The family took advantage of the opportunities offered by this beautiful location. George graduated from Waynesboro High School at the age of 17 in 1956. He earned his first paycheck too – working in a department store.

George followed in his father’s footsteps, and that of several other Wisconsin relatives, attending the University of Wisconsin (UW) in Madison after high school, and earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry. While there, two major events occurred. First, he joined the Army ROTC and became a member of the Color Guard and the Army Drill Team. He was captain his senior year and marched in the 1960 Rose Bowl Parade. Second, he met his future wife, Carol Rinsche, also a UW student, while walking back to the dorms after church!

After graduation in 1960, George was commissioned an officer in the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps, and attended the Army Medical Department Officer’s Basic Course at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. His first duty station was Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, allowing him to visit Carol often both at UW and after she graduated in 1961 and began her first teaching position in Danville, Illinois, near the Indiana border.

George and Carol were married in April 1962, at the Episcopal Church in her mother’s hometown of Pekin, in central Illinois. George had received orders to deploy to a post near Panmunjom, Korea, in June of ’62. George and Carol’s honeymoon was the road trip across the western part of the U.S. to San Francisco, his port of departure!

This was the beginning of many military posts, transfers, schools, and adventures lasting a total of thirty years. His career path was unusual at that time – he was never assigned an accompanied overseas tour, where his family could join him.

After attending the Army Medical Department Advanced Course in 1967, George was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, as a medical company commander. Next, he received orders to report to the provincial hospital located in Bac Lieu, Vietnam, during the war. Carol did visit George in Japan and Hong Kong while he was on leave from duty in Vietnam.

He returned to a tour recruiting doctors and dentists, while stationed at Fifth Army Headquarters, at Ft. Sheridan, Illinois, just north of Chicago. While there, his daughter Cara Jean was born. This was a wonderful location for the family – near many relatives and on Lake Michigan too.

George decided to continue his academic education and applied to an Army program to facilitate this. He was accepted and earned a Master’s Degree in Business Administration at the University of Arizona in Tucson in 1971. Through this program, George discovered computers, and he developed a lifelong passion for operations research/systems analysis (ORSA), including managing and mentoring ORSAs. He utilized these skills throughout the remainder of his career.

After graduation from the University of Arizona, he returned to Fort Sam Houston for four years, and began teaching night school computer classes at San Antonio College (SAC).

Next, he was transferred to a military position in Bethesda, Maryland. The family enjoyed this post, especially living near his two sisters and parents. While there, Carol earned her Master’s Degree at Hood College, located in Frederick, Maryland, and Cara was confirmed at the National Cathedral in Washington D. C. on the same day as Carol’s graduation! George taught computer classes in the evening, at Maryland Community College, punch-cards were still used.

George’s final duty station was back at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio – he returned to the same assignment, room, desk and building that he left four years earlier! He received an Honorable Discharge from the military after 30 years of service on August 31, 1990.

George received a number of military honors during his career, including the Legion of Merit/Meritorious Service Medal (2nd Oak Leaf Cluster), the Army Commendation Medal (1st Oak Leaf Cluster), the National Defense Service Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal, the Army Service and Overseas Service Ribbons, the Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm.

George had not finished his career yet! He spent the next several years working as a contractor – including at Silver Ventures, where he programmed computers for the year 2000. He also returned to teaching night classes at SAC, and a few dual-credit classes for San Antonio school districts.

When the law was changed and he was able to apply for a Civil Service position without penalty, George was hired in his former organization, Center for AMED Strategic Studies (CASS). He spent many happy, useful hours there with good friends before retiring from Civil Service at age 82!

Thus, George retired three times - first from the U. S. Army as a Colonel with 30 years of service, then from Civil Service as a GS-13 with 16 years, and third, from teaching (through the Texas Teacher’s Retirement System) with 15 years.

After retirement, he spent his final four years at home, enjoying NFL and college football (especially University of Wisconsin, Texas A&M and the Cowboys), the Spurs, staying current on the news and advances in science and the military, attending appointments, eating out and keeping in touch with family and friends. He remained a member of MENSA, UW and UA alumni, MOAA and the Episcopal Church of the Reconciliation.

His final three months were spent in various medical institutions in San Antonio, battling several problems – some of which related to his service in Vietnam. He was lovingly supported by his family, friends, and many medical staff in this, his final battle.

George was preceded in death by his parents, Catherine and George Hausler and his two sisters, Catherine “Cathy” Benedetto and Elizabeth “Beth” Hibner.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Carol R. Hausler, his Uncle Jim Broomhall, Sr., his brother and his wife, Carl L. and Iara Hausler, his brother-in-law, John J. Benedetto, and his daughter Cara Jean Hausler, in addition to two nieces and five nephews.

May God bless you, George, and may you rest in eternal peace! We love and appreciate you and miss your presence, support and sense of humor.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) Scholarship Fund. This provides educational assistance benefits to children of military families. This was an important organization to George!

Online:

https://moaadonate.funraise.org/

Please select the "Scholarship Fund" and under "Donation Options" add a dedication in memory of Col. George William Hausler. You can use my email for the "dedication email," [email protected]

By mail:

Checks made payable to "MOAA Scholarship Fund" can be mailed with a note dedicating the funds in memory of Col. George William Hausler to:

The MOAA Scholarship Fund, PO Box 1824, Merrifield, VA 22116-9917