August 30, 1919 - October 29, 2012
John Rauzon, WWII veteran who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, passed away on Monday, October 29, 2012, in Redmond, Oregon. John was born August 30, 1919, in Anaconda, Montana to George and Eunice Rauzon. They moved to Southern California when he was 6.
In 1938, he graduated from San Bernadino High School.
On January 3, 1943, John enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps with hopes of becoming a pilot. Due to color blindness, he became a top turret gunner on B-25s, flying 50 missions over Rabaul in the South Pacific. When he returned to civilian life in 1945, he returned to work for Pacific Telephone Company for the next 42 years. In 1947, his only child, John Arthur Rauzon, was born. In 1956, John married Imogene Gillespie with whom he enjoyed 56 wonderful years of marriage.
In the 1960s, John and Imogene and their teenaged son, John, moved to Marin County where John and Imogene continued to work for the telephone company. John enjoyed hunting and went on many trips in the Sierras and in the Rockies. After retirement, John served a term as Big Sir, President of Branch 122 of SIRS, a service organization in Central California. John and Imogene loved cruising and renewed their vows aboard ship on their 50th anniversary.
John is survived by his wife, Imogene, of Redmond, his two grandsons, Nathan and Tony, both of Eugene, Oregon, and his brother, George Rauzon of Chula Vista, California. John was preceded in death by his son, John, and his sister, Margaret Ann.
John is remembered fondly by those who knew him and were graced by his gentlemanly manner and amused by the twinkle in his eye that accompanied his fine sense of humor.
A celebration of life will be held in Reno, Nevada at a future time.
