Robert “Rickey” Rouse, who flew with eagles on earth, now soars with angels in Heaven.
A charter member of the Greatest Generation, Rickey was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi on June 6, 1918, to Robert Horace Rouse and Albia Johnson Rouse. Shortly after he was born, his family moved to the sawmill town of Doucette, Texas, where he attended a four-room school house. Upon the death of his father in 1928, he and his mother moved to Beaumont to take advantage of the South Park schools, where he graduated in 1935. He maintained a lifelong loyalty to the institution, a sympathy he passed on to his boys.
After graduation, Rickey was fortunate enough to find work at Production Machine Works. Coping with the jobs realities of the Depression, he variously worked for Brown and Root in oilfield construction and Pennsylvania Shipyard in the drafting department. He moved to Ohmstede Machine where he followed his dad’s example of machine work, developing and refining skills he employed throughout his life.
Three significant developments occurred in his life about this time. He started racing motorcycles, began to learn to fly, and he met the girl who became his wife and partner.
In 1941, he was drafted into the United States Army. Shortly after Pearl Harbor, he and Achsah Stephens, (better known as “Mike”) were married, the beginning of an incredible sixty-seven year marriage. Still in the Army, after considerable effort, he was transferred to the Army Air Corps, where he received training as a combat fighter pilot. Rickey received advanced fighter training in Thomasville, Georgia. At completion, his class of twenty-six pilots was posted to New Guinea to the 41st Fighter Squadron, 35th Fighter Group, 5th Air Force. He was a skilled and most fortunate pilot: he completed the war with the third most number of combat missions of any American flyer, yet he was the only survivor of the group of pilots from Thomasville. For his war service, he received the Air Medal with multiple oak leaf clusters.
After the war, Rickey returned to Beaumont, where he and Mike began their family. Though he was not able to attend college, based on his mechanical experience and Air Corps technical training he was the first non-degreed engineer hired in the engineering department of the old Magnolia Petroleum Company. He remained there until his retirement in 1982. When Mike retired in 1985, their life-long love of travel was further indulged by their exploring every major and many of the minor highways of the United States. Rickey was at heart a craftsman. For many years he fabricated ornamental iron work for many homes in Southeast Texas.
Always a committed pilot, Rickey started flying in 1938, and flew until the last months of his life. He joined the Experimental Aircraft Association in the early 1950’s, and for many years advised, helped, or participated in the construction of most of the home built airplanes in Southeast Texas.
Motorsports thrilled Rickey all of his adult life. Though he ceased competing himself when he started his family, he followed racing avidly. He attended the Indianapolis 500 for almost forty years and extended his interest to NASCAR.
He enjoyed boating, building those he used in addition to assisting on the projects of family and friends. Metalworking was more a passion than a trade. He had his own complete machine shop all of his adult life.
Rickey always thought, though, that his greatest accomplishment and satisfaction came with his marriage to Mike, a marriage as perfect as is humanly possible.
He enjoyed life to the fullest. His curiosity and willingness to learn new things were infinite. He succeeded in passing these qualities to his admiring, adoring sons.
The last years of his life were spent in The Woodlands.
Rickey leaves his sons, Robert, Mickey, and Jerry, their wives, Kim, Darline, and Pam, and grandchildren, Stephen, Caroline, Trey, and Mitchell; and friends beyond number.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Achsah “Mike” Rouse.
The family wishes to extend particular thanks to the numerous caregivers including Roz, Sandra Kaye, Liz, Denise, and Glenda in addition to staff at Memorial Herman Hospital Woodlands and Tomball Regional Hospital.
His funeral service will be 1:00 PM Monday, January 30, 2012, at Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin, Beaumont, with burial to forward at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, 4955 Pine, Beaumont. A gathering of family and friends will be before the service, 12:00 noon until 1:00 PM at Broussard’s.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made in Rickey’s name to Experimental Aircraft Association, P. O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54901.
Complete and updated information may be viewed at www.broussards1889.com
