John Craig Mauer

MAUER, JOHN CRAIG - age 80, of Knoxville, died Sunday evening September 14, 2008. He was a longtime member of Sacred Heart Cathedral. A 1952 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, he also attended Commander and General Staff College. He spent 20 years enlisted in the Army, during which he was Deputy Director of the Tropical Test Center in Panama, served with the 1st Calvary Division in Korea, and Assistant Military Attaché in Laos. He retired as Lieutenant Colonel in 1972. In Knoxville he served as the first president of State Technical College and for many years after it became Pellissippi State, he served as a professor. He was also a member of the Knoxville Optimist Club. He was preceded in death by his parents, Coach John William and Grace Lucille Bapst Mauer; wife, Joanne Kennell Mauer; and son, Michael Mauer. His survivors include his daughter and son-in-law, Marianne and Fred Freitag; son & daughter-in-law, Craig and Jacqueline Mauer ; daughter-in-law, Gail Mauer all of Knoxville; grandchildren, Nicolas and Allison Freitag, Conor, Shawn, and Marshall Mauer; brother and sister-in-law, Ronald J. and Sue Mauer of Knoxville; as well as nieces and nephews. Funeral Mass 10:00 A.M. Thursday at Sacred Heart Cathedral with Father Al Humbrecht officiating. Interment will follow at Tennessee Veterans Cemetery with military honors by the Volunteer State Veterans Honor Guard. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Knoxville Catholic High School, 9245 Fox Lonas Rd., Knoxville, TN 37923 or Pellissippi State Tech, 3435 Division St., Knoxville, TN 37919. The family will receive friends 6:00-7:30 P.M. Wednesday followed by a Christian Prayer Service at Rose Mortuary Mann Heritage Chapel. www.rosemortuary.com