Fire-fighter and fire-safety advocate Robert Hauck, 66, passed away on July 14. He leaves behind not only a loving family, but an unsurpassed legacy of community service and civic-minded recognition.
Hauck, who was born and raised in Williamsburg, became a junior volunteer firefighter for the Bethel-Tate Fire Department as a teenager after tragically losing some aunts and cousins who were burned to death in a house fire. This was the spark that Hauck needed to devote the rest of his exemplary life to fighting fires and spreading fire-safety awareness.
Hauck, a former U.S. Army Green Beret and paratrooper who spoke four languages, served as the Bethel-Tate Fire Chief for 29 years before retiring in 2000.
He visited many schools over the years, speaking to and mentoring young people about fire safety and fire-safety awareness. His lengthy list of accomplishments, and there are indeed many, never really interested him, said his wife of 46 years, Sue Hauck.