Obituary of Col. Edward A. Hauss, USAF

Colonel Edward Aloysius Hauss, USAF, Ret died Thursday June 8, 2017 at home.Colonel Hauss was born June 20, 1929, in Rome, New York, was the son of Earl Gordon Hauss and Agnes Flanagan Hauss.After graduating from Saint Aloysius Academy, Class of 1947, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Relations from Le Moyne College, a private Jesuit College in Syracuse, New York in 1951.Colonel Hauss was accepted into Officer Candidate School at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas receiving his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force in December 1952. Initially stationed at Forbes Air Force Base in Topeka, Kansas, he was selected for pilot training with the 3301st Pilot Training Squadron, Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. While stationed in Columbus he met and married Fannie Mae “Nicki” Nichols, the mother of his four children.Colonel received additional pilot training at Vance AFB, Enid, Oklahoma, receiving his Silver Pilot’s Wings in 1954. He then trained for six weeks at Randolph Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas in the B-29 before being transferred to Smokey Hill Air Force Base, Salina Kansas as a pilot for KC-97 refueling tankers. Between 1955 to 1962, his four children Earl Hauss, Cindy Hauss, Ceil Mccormick Crass and Tim Hauss, were born at Smokey Hill Air Force Base Hospital.In 1963, he was sent to Castle Air Force Base, Merced, California, for six months training on the new KC-135 refueling tanker. In 1964, he was transferred to Carswell Air Force Base, Fort Worth, Texas and by 1972, he had earned the rank of Colonel. During his years at Carswell, Colonel Hauss served as an aircraft commander and instructor pilot in the KC-135 Stratotanker; as Chief, Tanker Standardization Division; Squadron Operations Officer, Squadron Commander, Chief Wing Operations and Training Division and Assistant Director of Operations. In 1973 Colonel Hauss was transferred to Dyess Air Force Base, Abilene, Texas, as 96th Bombardment Wing’s Deputy Commander for Maintenance where he remained until he retired from the United States Air Force in 1974.During his 22 year active duty career, Colonel Hauss was associated with Strategic Air Command (SAC), accumulating more than 6,000 flying hours in a variety of aircraft. During the 1960’s, he flew approximately 200 missions during temporary duty assignments (TDY) in Southeast Asia. He spent one year TDY at Sondrestrom, Air Force Base in Greenland. His awards and decorations include the Air Medal with Sixth Oak Leaf Cluster, the Air Medal is awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight, the Air Force Commendation medal, the Vietnam Service Medal and the Meritorious Medal while on a temporary duty assignment in Southeast Asia.After retiring from the Air Force, he returned to Fort Worth, initially with the Texas Workforce Commission, followed by ten years with Tandy Corporation. His final gig, before officially retiring, was as a process server for a local court reporting firm.In retirement, one of Colonel Hauss’ favorite pastimes was a daily trip to the Westside Cafe on Camp Bowie. There he enjoyed his coffee, reading the paper, visiting with the employees and other customers and developing many friendships over the years as one of the regulars at the counter. He also spent countless hours enjoying his beautiful backyard. Since his house was on the flight pattern of Carswell AFB, he was still able to enjoy the sound of airplanes flying overhead. As a news enthusiast, he stayed tuned to the local and national news with a passion for financial news and, as expected of any pilot, the weather. He was a 50 year member of The Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks and a member of Holy Family Catholic Church, where the Celebration of Life services will be held Friday, June 16.Colonel Hauss was a kind and thoughtful man who never forgot a birthday, anniversary, or any other special event. He had a heart for those less fortunate.His four children were his pride and joy. During the last four years of a prolonged illness, he was able to stay in his home with the help of his children and beneficent caregivers who treated “The Colonel” as if he was their own father.We would like to express our gratitude and appreciation to all of the caregivers for the love and attention they provided to our father over the last several years. We could not have done it without them and they have all become part of the family. Especially Anita Freeman, Chrissy Pate’, Cynthia Hinman, Cristina DeRosia, Cheryl Hoover, Alicia Miller, Lori Martinez, Braxton Robertson and Armando Najera.He was preceded in death by his children’s mother, Nicki Hauss; parents, Earl Gordon Hauss and Agnes Flanagan Hauss; sister, Marian H. Macbeth and her husband, C. Ambrose (Ambie) Macbeth; son-in-law, Michael McCormick; and grandson, Blayne McCormick.