Francis Raymond "Butch" Hauer

Francis “Butch”Hauer, age 92, of Stevensville. MD passed away peacefully on January 10, 2013 at Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, MD with his family by his side after a brief illness. Butch was born in Baltimore, MD on August 27, 1920 the son of William and Agnes Hauer one of seven siblings. He married the former Catherine Kline on January 15, 1944 and they were looking forward to celebrating their 69th wedding anniversary later this month. Butch enlisted in the Navy before his 18th birthday and was eventually assigned to the USS Leary that was sunk by the Germans on Christmas Eve 1943 in the North Atlantic. After spending over eight hours in the frigid waters Butch and 78 other survivors were rescued by the USS Schenck. Butch served in the Navy for twenty years with varied assignments in communications and electronics throughout the world. He continued his professional career as a civil servant at NAVELEX in Crystal City, VA for eighteen years before retiring a second time. He then started an electronic consulting company directly supporting the Navy in the implementation of their portion of the Worldwide Military Command and Control System before retiring a third time in in 1984. Butch was very active in his community, but was especially proud of being one of the founding fathers of the Kent Island Elks Lodge. In 1978. he and nine other members worked together to design and build the current Kent Island BPOE Lodge #2576. He loved the Elks and served in several different officer positions over the past 35 years, holding the office of Exalted Ruler on two different occasions. In honor of his dedication to service the Elk membership recently renamed their main hall “Hauer Hall” .In addition to being an Elk, Butch was also a member of the Knights of Columbus, VFW, American Legion, Life member of the Retired Officers Association, The Fleet Reserve, The Navy Memorial Foundation and the Tin Can Sailors Association. Butch is survived by his wife of 69 years, Catherine Hauer, of Stevensville, Md., his son William and his wife Ruth of Baltimore, Md. his daughter Dolores DeBlois and her husband Ronald of Bishopville, Md., and eight grandchildren. Granddaughter, Kayleen Darrow and her husband Jon, granddaughter Gwendolyn Crisafulli and her husband Matt, grandson William Hauer Jr.. and his wife Sarah, grandson, Nicholas Hauer, granddaughter, Joellyn Scott and her husband Brian, granddaughter, Linda Kwelberg and her husband Todd, Grandson Robert DeBlois and his wife Linda, granddaughter, Mary Ledbetter and her husband Dan, and seven great grandchildren: Monica Crisafulli, Natalie Crisafulli, Mason Darrow, Erik Kwelberg, Aidan Kwelberg, Ryan DeBlois, and Patti DeBlois, and Butch's brother James and his wife Rose Hauer of Baltimore, Md. He was predeceased by two brothers, William and Earl, and three sisters, Eleanor Owings, Agnes Carre and Virginia Annis. In lieu of flowers please consider donating to St. Christopher's Building Fund, P.O. 660, Chester, MD 21619. Friends may visit at the Fellows, Helfenbein & Newnam Funeral Home, P.A. in Chester, MD on Sunday, Jan. 13 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 pm and on Monday, January 14 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 pm. A funeral mass will be held at 11 am on Tuesday, January 15 at St. Christopher’s Catholic Church in Chester, MD. Burial will follow at St. Peter’s Catholic Cemetery in Queenstown, MD.

Francis Raymond "Butch" Hauer

August 27, 1920 - January 10, 2013