John (Jack) H. Gausch, Jr., passed away December 28, 2021. Beloved best friend and husband of the late F. Patricia (Pat) Gausch for nearly 62 years, loving father of Erich J. Gausch and father-in-law of Dana E. Gausch. Son of the late John and Adele Gausch. Nephew of Lucille Gausch.

Jack was born in 1930 and grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. He attended Woodard Elementary School, Cleveland High School, Harris Teacher’s College, St. Louis University, Universite’ Leval in Quebec, and earned BA (1952) and MA (1962) degrees from Washington University St. Louis.

Jack was chairman of the Foreign Language department and teacher of French, Spanish, and German at The Principia High School, St. Louis Mo., for 36 years, and in his retirement worked for the University City School District Adult Education & Literacy program in St. Louis teaching English and U.S. citizenship to immigrants. He cared deeply for all his students and teaching peers.

He played all the woodwind recorder instruments (which is how he met Pat in an early music group) and enjoyed listening to a variety of music (from Baroque pop). He enjoyed global culture and history, foreign cars (especially his Saab and Datsun 510), plants (especially ferns), photography, European auto racing, novels (Love in the Time of Cholera), movies, art, nature, animals (especially dogs and parrots), tomato bisque soup, stuffed green peppers, and pineapple upside down cake.

He was consistently loving, patient, generous, dedicated to his family, and kind to strangers.

If desired, donations would be appreciated to the Missouri Botanical Garden, the Humane Society of Missouri, the St. Louis Zoo, or your favorite charity.