Avis de décès
John Laurence Rafuse
24 décembre 1936 – 11 octobre 2019
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Demaine Funeral Home
John Laurence (Jack) Rafuse
12/24/1936 - 10/11/2019
ALEXANDRIA, VA - John Laurence Rafuse, 82, passed away Friday, October 11, 2019 at the Inova Hospital
in Mount Vernon, VA. He leaves his loving wife of 56 years, Patricia Ann (Wahl) Rafuse; his children
Jonathan Malcolm, Heather Anne, and Amanda Louise; his sister Frances MacDonald and her three
children; his grandchildren Abby, Sam, Melia and Caleb; his 11-year old golden retriever Gatsby; and many
close and wonderful friends and neighbors in both Alexandria and Chatham.
Jack was born December 24, 1936, son of Laurence M. Rafuse and Mary J. McDuffie Rafuse, and grew up
in Milton, Massachusetts. He married Patricia Ann Wahl on September 7, 1963; together they raised their
three children in Chatham, MA, Palos Verdes, CA, and Washington, DC.
Jack received his BA from Stonehill College (1959), his Master of Arts from the University of Notre Dame
(1962), and his Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Notre Dame (1972). He further matriculated
at Harvard University’s Kennedy Center Graduate program for senior managers in government.
Family always came first and foremost for Jack. He and Patty met, married and spent summers their entire
married life in Chatham on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. They are members of The Basilica of St. Mary in
Alexandria, and The Church of the Holy Redeemer in Chatham. He cherished his amazing family for
decades and all survive him and miss him deeply. Patty always made him happier than he ever thought
possible -- their devotion to one another continues to inspire all who know them. He encouraged his
children to follow their own distinct paths and carry his sense of love into their own lives. They all miss his
smart, funny, warm presence immensely.
Eldest son Jonathan graduated from UCLA, has an MA from Antioch University, and works with his wife
Lety for Autism Partnership in Los Angeles, California; Melia and Caleb are their smart, talented, joyful
children.
Heather graduated from the University of Colorado. She and her husband Pete, married 20 years and
living in Chatham, are entrepreneurs/home-builders whose children Abby and Sam are smart, giving, and
athletic.
Amanda graduated from Notre Dame and holds an MFA from the University of Missouri in Kansas City.
She is a theater maker and consultant for social profit organizations. These hard-working, loving, smart,
friendly people inspire family and friends. God love them.
Jack’s varied career began as an Adjunct Professor at Stonehill College, North Easton, Massachusetts
(1963-1965). He worked for the Navy Department, the Center for Naval Analysis, and the Naval War
College (1966-1973); office director, Federal Energy Administration, Washington, 1974-1976. He was part
of the 5-person White House Energy staff (1973) and then became an energy and management analyst
for the Office Management Budgets (1974). He later became Special Assistant to the Federal Energy
Administrator and FEA International Office Director (1974 -1977).
In 1977, Jack moved into the private sector and spent the next 27 years with Union Oil of California,
working on government affairs and special CEO projects. He conceived and ran Unocal’s South Coast
Recycled Auto Project. SCRAP, winning environmentalist support to buy and junk old cars. It slashed LA
air pollution cost-effectively, won EPA regulatory changes and State, local, White House and international
awards. Jack was the Chairman of Unocal’s Political Awareness Fund, Los Angeles from 1986 - 2000 and is
listed as a noteworthy oil company executive by Marquis Who's Who.
After retiring from Unocal, Jack applied his incredible analytical skills and problem-solving approaches to
consulting for businesses, think-tanks, government and private clients in the US and overseas. His analyses
and reports have helped solve major problems and added to the store of knowledge of public policy. His
faith and Catholicism were guiding lights throughout his life and career.
A funeral service will be held at the Basilica of St. Mary’s in Alexandria, VA, on Monday October 14 at
12:00 pm. A celebration of Jack’s wonderful life will be held in Chatham during the summer of 2020. In
lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Eldredge Public Library in Chatham, Massachusetts
(https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/EldredgePublicLibrary/tribute.html). Cards and memories are
welcome and appreciated.
God loves you, Sir. And so do we.
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