John Flemming "Junior" Gause, 89, died Wednesday, July 08, 2020, at his home place in Camp Branch, SC.
Mr. Gause was born on September 17, 1930 in Scranton, SC, son of the late John Flemming "Bub" Gause and Tula Collins Gause. He was born to a large farming family in High Hill Community of South Carolina where tilling fields with a mule before walking to school barefoot were a part of daily life. Like 3 of his 9 siblings, "Junior" joined the military first chance he could, lying about his age to do so. He served 2 tours in Korea and later served 3 tours in Vietnam with the Army Corps of Engineers and 101st Airborne. After Korea, while stationed in southern Germany he met his wife Elfriede. It was there following in his family's footsteps that he became a Master Mason, member of Lebanon Masonic Lodge 48 and Omar Shrine Club. With sons Ralph and John, the family would return to the states living briefly in South Carolina and then military bases in Colorado Springs, the Presidio in San Francisco and Hamilton Air Force Base in Novato, CA. Junior retired from the military as a Master Sergeant E9, the highest rank for an enlisted soldier, then settled in Santa Rose, CA. He would continue working with the military by training troops as a contractor in Saudi Arabia for another 12 years. "Sarge" as he was also known outside the family, would spend his years after working in the Middle East abalone diving and hunting and fishing with former service buddies. His beloved wife of 50 years, Elfriede passed before him in 2008, leaving him longing for his roots. Junior returned to his family home in rural South Carolina. He spent his final years in the home where most of his brothers and sisters were raised, and on the land where generations of Gauses continue the family farming tradition today. "Sarge" was a tough man. He spoke his mind and there was no mistaking where you stood with him. He survived frostbite in Korea, was blind in one eye from shrapnel and always felt he saw too much war in Vietnam. He spent most of his life in service of his country and was a fierce defender of that freedom. Junior saw and traveled the world and yet was always a southern farm boy at heart. He will be missed by all who knew him.
Mr. Gause was preceded in death by his brothers, Webster "Vincent" Gause, Delone "Collins" Gause, Herbert "Ryan" Gause and Stanton Gause; his sisters, Avis Wallace, Claire Gennaro, Bleecker Godwin and Jewell G. Hoefer; and his beloved wife, Elfriede Gause.
Surviving are his sons, Ralph (Lian) Gause and John (Seana) Gause; brother, Franklin "Guy" Gause; he was blessed with six grandchildren, Angela, Melissa, Kris, John E., Sean and AJ, as well as many nieces and nephews. He will be remembered fondly by his dearest nephews, Dan Gause and Daniel Gause, "Adopted daughter" Joan Hill, and his longtime companion, Norma McAllister.
Funeral services will be 2:00 PM, Sunday, July 12, 2020, at Carolina Funeral Home Chapel, Scranton. Burial with Full Military Honors and Masonic Rites will follow at Lake City Memorial Park.
The family will receive friends from 6:00 – 8:00 PM, Saturday, July 11, 2020, at Carolina Funeral Home, 215 E. Highway 378 Bypass, Scranton, South Carolina, and other times at the home of Dan Gause, 905 W. Camp Branch Road, Scranton, South Carolina.
The family would like to extend a special thanks to Norma McAllister, Robin Graham Matthews, Beth Broach and Pam Thompson for their love and concern during this time.
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