Conrad Joseph Rauch

Conrad Joseph Rauch peacefully passed away March 8, 2017 at the "old enough to know better" age of 88. Connie was born March 2, 1929 in Endicott NY to parents Konrad and Elsa Rauch. As a son to German immigrants, Connie grew up speaking German at home and English at school. He was raised in Dayton Ohio and graduated from The Ohio State University with a PhD in Physics. The physics came easy and with no desire to flaunt his doctorate title or Phi Betta Kappa status, Connie balanced academics with a need to make up for regimented childhood by "raising hell and occasionally consuming a warm beer stashed under my dorm bunk." Near the end of his studies he met and courted "the Chief" Monica Joan Urich and married her in 1954. Over the next ten years and four cross-country moves, four daughters and three sons arrived who learned the difference between eating and dining, how to install landscaping, fix almost anything, start a campfire, speak up for themselves, partake in no half-assed jobs, and not to do anything dumb.

As a restless soul working in the defense industry, nine more moves followed, leaving a trail of educated children, good friends and yard-of-the-month awards scattered across the country. Connie invented several terms not yet recognized by the Oxford dictionary; friends and strangers alike learned that among others, "shingle" means "toast," "hockey puck" means "biscuit," "shimy shiwaby" means "Jello," "lube" means "mayonnaise" and "the tube" means "online." After retirement Connie became a skilled woodworker and tireless volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and St. Vincent DePaul. He was a devout Catholic and also enjoyed gardening, running, horse racing, grilling out and a good glass of wine.

Connie is survived by his wife of 64 years Monica; daughter Andrea & (spouse) Paul Dwyer, daughter Christine & Jerry Mahoney, daughter Julie & Steve Shroyer, daughter Sue Aho, son Peter & Susan, son Mark & Vicki, son Thomas grandchildren Christopher, Nicholas, Johanna, Yohan, Matthew, Kathryn, Monica, Loretta, Allison, Samantha, David and Sam; and six great grandchildren who will sadly never see their great grandfather wiggle his scalp on command.

Services will be 10:00AM Thursday, March 16 at St. Mark the Evangelist Church in San Antonio with interment following at Holy Cross Cemetery. Family and close friends will return home for a private celebration and per Connie's wishes "one hell of a party." In lieu of flowers the family asks friends to consider donations to the St. Mark the Evangelist Habitat for Humanity, 1602 Thousand Oaks Drive, San Antonio, TX 78232 or the St. Mark the Evangelist chapter of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, 1602 Thousand Oaks Drive, San Antonio, TX 78232.