Donald George Hauser

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Donald (Don) George Hauser passed away peacefully on December 29, 2022 at The Village Senior Living Community in Indianola, IA at the age of 92. He was born in Burlington, IA on December 3, 1930 to Herbert J., Sr. and Loretta Anne (Walz) Hauser. He was one of seven children.

While growing up in Burlington, Don and his family were long-time members of the St. John the Baptist Catholic Church community. He attended kindergarten at the old Grimes School and went on to attend grades 1-12 in the Burlington parochial schools. He graduated from Burlington Junior College (now known as Southeastern Iowa Community College) with an Associate of Arts degree. Throughout his career, Don also attended numerous university level specialty courses related to his jobs; including Industrial Development at the University of Oklahoma, Organization Management at Michigan State University and University of Notre Dame and Political Science at Drake University.

Don served his country by enlisting in the U.S. Navy from 1951 to1954. As a Korean War veteran, he was deployed as part of Task Force 77 in the Sea of Japan aboard the USS New Jersey (BB62). He also served on a patrol frigate and on several aircraft carriers in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea as a member of Fighter and Attack Squadrons 42. In May of 1954, while stationed on the aircraft carrier USS Bennington, Don survived the devastating onboard explosions and fire that claimed 103 crewmen and injured over 200 others. You can read his letters recounting his experience on that fateful day as submitted to the Bennington's website by following these links:

http://www.uss-bennington.org/stz-explosion-dhauser54.html

http://www.uss-bennington.org/stz-explosion-trots-dhauser54.html

http://www.uss-bennington.org/stz-explosion-runderwood54.html

After graduating from Burlington Junior College in 1950, Don worked for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Company in Burlington and Chicago, IL until 1961, less time served in the Navy. He worked in the operating, sales and industrial development departments. From 1961- 1964, Don was employed as the manager of Industrial Development and Manufacturers Bureaus of the Burlington Chamber of Commerce.

While stationed in Norfolk, VA, Don was introduced to Rosa Lee Del Signore by a mutual friend. They were married in Keyser, WV in August 1954. Their lives together would take them from Burlington to Chicago and, ultimately, to Des Moines. They would have seven children.

Don's career in Des Moines spanned from August 1964 through December 1996, where he retired as Executive Vice President and state legislative lobbyist, staffer and membership development and retention specialist for Iowa Manufacturers Association and Iowa Association of Business and Industry. He took pride in planning meetings, sales and telemarketing and had the opportunity to travel extensively throughout Iowa on business. In a reputational survey by an Iowa Radio reporter, Don was named the 3rd most powerful lobbyist in the Iowa Legislature in the 1980s.

After retiring in 1996, Don worked part-time raising political funds for the Iowa Industry Political Action Committee, served as a volunteer driver and staff donor recruiter for the Blood Center of Iowa and he did fundraising for Des Moines University.

Don's dedication to his faith included serving as an altar boy at St. John's; a member of Knights of Columbus at St. Augustin's where he was elected Recorder then Grand Knight as well as an elected delegate to the state and Supreme Conventions and being named Iowa Grand Knight in 2012; served as an Eucharistic Minister since 1977 and a volunteer Iowa Methodist Hospital Eucharistic Minister since 1987.

Don loved to sing! Besides serving as a song leader and lector at Sunday masses at St. Augustin's, Don had sung in choirs aboard the USS Midway (CVA-21), Old St. Mary's in Norfolk, VA, St. Rita of Cassia in Aurora, IL and St. John's in Burlington.

Don was also a member of the Des Moines Golf and Country Club, the Iowa Society of Association Executives where he served as President in 1982-1983, a member of the Des Moines Rotary Club in the mid-1960s, the Des Moines Diocesan Board of Education serving as President in 1975, past member of the American Battleship Association, USS New Jersey (BB-62) Veterans Association and the USS Bennington (CVA-20) Veterans Association. Don also served as a member and President of Iowa Workers' Compensation Advisory Committee, was a past board member of the Institutes for Organization Management- Chamber of Commerce of the United States and served an elected term on the Iowa State Engineering College Advisory Council.

Don's principal avocations through the years included golf, travel, reading, writing and photography.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Rosa Lee in 2020, 3 brothers and a sister. He is survived by his seven children: Anna (Marty) of Arizona, Margaret (Dan) of Minnesota, Theresa (Roger) of Iowa, Elizabeth (Kent) of Iowa, Robert (Elizabeth) of Minnesota, Philip of Minnesota and Greg (Tanya) of Pennsylvania, 17 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren. He is also survived by his two sisters, Paula of Kentucky and Carol of Iowa.

Visitation will be held in Des Moines, IA at St. Augustin's Catholic Church on Thursday, January 5, 2022 from 10:00-11:00 a.m. A mass of Christian burial will follow immediately at 11:00. The Rosary Society will provide a luncheon in the church hall after the service. Interment will be at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Adel, IA at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Augustin's Knights of Columbus Council #10558.