Richard Rauscher

Oct. 3, 1940 - Aug. 20, 2024

Richard “Dick” C. Rauscher, 83, of Oregon, New York state Marine, naval veteran, psychotherapist, homesteader, author Richard “Dick” C. Rauscher of Sutherlin, OR, died on Aug. 20, 2024, at the Intensive Care Unit of CHI Mercy Health Medical Center in Roseburg, OR. He was 83. Born Oct. 3, 1940, the son of Orville and Mabel Rauscher of Rochester, N.Y., Mr. Rauscher was surrounded in his final moments by his loving family, who would like to commend the Mercy ICU staff members for their kind, attentive and professional care. New York state native Mr. Rauscher spent more than 40 years in Naples, N.Y., and lived a long, colorful life, filled with varied interests and many adventures. His trademark greeting was “Howdy! Howdy!” and one of his mottoes was “To make a difference in the world, not just take up space.” His working days included candle making, preparing pizzas, and silversmithing. Hobbies included RV camping, , travel and playing music. He was a prolific writer, whose latest work, the 2020 book “Waiting is not an Option,” was a clarion call urging people to prepare for the effects of climate change and other civilizational threats. An ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, he also authored “Adult Spiritual Development: The Creation of an Authentic Spirituality for the 21st Century - The Journey from Unconscious Thinking to a Spiritually Awakened Adult Consciousness.” You can learn more about his work at dickrauscher.com. Paperboy, military service As a boy, Mr. Rauscher delivered newspapers, mowed lawns, and rode his bike six miles on summer mornings to pick corn at a local farm. He shoveled snow in winter, started a small radio repair business when he was 13, read a lot of science fiction, and “dreamed about who he would be when he turned 21.” In 1962, Mr. Rauscher graduated from Clarkson University with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. He then served in the U.S. Marine Corps and also served as a lieutenant in the Naval Reserves. He graduated in 1986 with a master’s in divinity from Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School and worked as a pastoral psychotherapist and mental health therapist for years. Among his achievements was the founding of the Stonyhill Institute of Psychotherapy and Spirituality, a writing and teaching facility dedicated to the formal integration of psychotherapy and spirituality. Mr. Rauscher served as pastor of Italy Valley Methodist Church in N.Y., as well as chaplain at neighboring Keuka College. Over the years, Mr. Rauscher worked at various jobs, including serving as a reporter-photographer for the Geneva Times; running his own pizza business; and working as a manufacturing engineer for both General Motors as well as Singer Business Machines. Mr. Rauscher was a homesteader who built a house for his family in Italy Valley, N.Y., and assisted others in the homestead movement. His home was famed for its legendary holiday parties, most notably the annual Pumpkin Party around Halloween each year, where Dick hosted an inclusive awards contest featuring Jack O’Lanterns carved by family and friends. In recent years, he and his wife have loved volunteering for Oregon State Parks, the BLM, Ochoco National Park, and the Wheat Land Communities Fair. Survivors Mr. Rauscher is survived by his wife of 34 years, Melinda Stanfield; his sister Nancy (Larry) Melrose of Webster, N.Y.; his first wife, Linda (Chris) Metzger of Middlesex, N.Y., with whom he had his children: Tom (Dawn Estephan) Rauscher of Canandaigua, N.Y.; Kristina Rauscher-Bianchi and Rebecca Rauscher of Rochester, N.Y.; and M. Conrad (Dawn Kayser) Rauscher of Kalispell, MT. He is also survived by his stepdaughter Jennifer (Kwong) Stuckless and her husband Evan Stuckless; Wendy (Vargus Pike) Rover and Rob Cullivan, all of Portland, OR; grandchildren Nicole and Nickalos Rauscher; Liam Bethlendy; Duke Rauscher; Autumn Cullivan and Ehan; Axel, Cora and Anna, Zoe, Eli and Ezra Stuckless; great-grandchildren and several nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, and cousins. His Oregon family will be holding a private service. His New York family will post service details in the future. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that memorial contributions be sent to CHI Mercy Health Medical Center in his name. Visit chimercyhealth.com and click on “$DONATE” for instructions.