~ IN MEMORY ~
Military veteran, DL pilot James R. Gaus
August 6, 1963 ~ December 5, 2023
From friends and colleagues we learn of the
passing of Delta Air Lines pilot James Richard Gaus, age 60, of Roswell,
Georgia. Jim joined Delta Air Lines
06-12-2000. He is survived by his wife
Mary, and by his son Josh, and by his mom and his siblings.
Obituary information can be found online at https://www.brucefh.com/obituary/James-Gaus
also at https://www.northsidechapel.com/obituaries/James-Gaus-2/#!/TributeWall
and https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/james-gaus-obituary?id=53834057
The funeral mass will be live streamed and
available for playback at this link: https://youtube.com/live/fF7RsvDZ99k?feature=share
For those who may wish to send a personal note, I
see the family’s address listed in whitepges as
205 Hamilton Way
Roswell, GA 30075
Thank you,
~ Carol for the PCN
PCN memorial site
James Gaus Obituary
James
Richard Gaus, 60, of Roswell, GA, passed away unexpectedly on December 5, 2023.
He was born August 6, 1963 in Watertown, NY to Edward and Mary Gaus as the
third of five children. Jim attended St. Bonaventure University (class of 1985)
on a 4-year Army ROTC scholarship, earning him a commission in the United
States Army.
Upon graduating, Jim began his Army career and was
chosen to attend flight training. He was assigned to an Air Cavalry Squadron
and his first deployment was flying Hueys in Honduras and El Salvador in
support of an expeditionary Task Force responsible for delivering supplies and
humanitarian aid. Jim then flew Scout helicopters in South Korea doing
non-combat surveillance missions. He went on to fly counter drug and
intelligence gathering missions throughout Central and South America as
commander of a fixed wing unit. Jim left the Army in 1997 having achieved the
rank of Major and moved to Virginia to work as a civilian contractor flying
Lear jets all over the world.
In 2000, Jim was hired by Delta Airlines and began
his 23-year career as a commercial pilot. His career was interrupted in 2002
when he was furloughed due to 9/11. Seizing this opportunity, his adventurous
spirit led him to explore the world. He traveled with a friend to Russia, then
spent several months surfing and giving eco tours in Costa Rica. He backpacked
through Europe, and went back bowl hiking and skiing in the Canadian Rockies.
He learned to mountain climb and summitted Island Peak (Imja Tse) in Nepal as
well as K2 base camp.
In 2003, Jim returned home and began flying for
the governor of Oklahoma. A year later, he was reactivated by the Army for the
Second Gulf War and did airfield logistics in Kuwait.
Jim was recalled by Delta in 2005 and moved to
Georgia where he met his wife, Mary. They fit together like a hand in a glove.
After a lifetime of adventure, he was finally “home”. His son, Josh, was born
in 2007 and over the years, the two could be found on Cub Scout outings, taking
side trips, playing tennis, and more recently golf. Jim helped Josh build
prototypes for his Eagle Scout project and sought to make Josh self-sufficient
in all aspects of his life. When asked what his favorite layover was, Jim’s
answer was always “Roswell, Georgia”. His interests were endless: golf,
woodworking, gardening, tennis, war history, grilling or whatever his family
was doing. There wasn’t anything Jim couldn’t build or fix, and whatever he
attempted, he did expertly.
Jim put the greater good above himself. He
listened more than he spoke and was always upbeat and easy to be around. His
calm, humble, authentic nature won him many friends and he counted a day with
his family or a beer with a friend as a good day. His faith was quiet yet
unshakable, and he thanked God aloud each day for his many blessings.
Jim is survived by his wife, Mary, and son, Josh;
mother Mary Gaus; siblings Joe Gaus, John Gaus (Jennifer), Julie Welch (Dan),
Jeff Gaus (Katie); along with sibling in-laws: Joe Rutte (Jan), John Rutte
(Franziska), Kathleen Schoenblum (Joel), Ann Stanek (Mike), and many nieces and
nephews.
A funeral mass celebrating Jim’s remarkable life
will be held on Tuesday, January 2, 2024 at 10:30am at St. Peter Chanel
Catholic Church in Roswell, GA with a luncheon reception to follow. The mass
will be live streamed and available for playback at this link: https://youtube.com/live/fF7RsvDZ99k?feature=share
If you wish to remember Jim, you might consider a
donation to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, Stronghold Rescue and Relief, or a
veterans’ organization of your choice.
Local arrangements are with the Hart & Bruce
Funeral Home. Online condolences may be
left at www.hartandbrucefh.com
https://www.wwnytv.com/2023/12/12/james-r-gaus-60-roswell-ga/
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