John H. Gauer Jr., 91 of Ft. Wayne, Indiana, died Wednesday February 27, 2013 at Heritage Park Nursing Home, Ft. Wayne, Indiana.

He was born on May 23, 1921 in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, the son of John and Eva (Howe) Gauer.

He graduated from Miami of Ohio University with a Bachelors degree in Business.

On April 16, 1976, he was united in marriage to Mary (Roberts) Thiel and she survives.

John served his country as a 2nd Lt. in the U.S. Navy during WWII and the Korean Conflict on the USS Kankakee.

John work as a controller at Crook-Miller Handle Factory in Hicksville, Ohio and he retired from Evans Products in Coldwater, Michigan.

He was a member of the American Legion Post 223 in Hicksville and was a former member of the Hicksville Rotary Club.

Surviving John are his wife Mary; two daughters-Johanna (Bill) Edge of Coldwell, NJ, Melanie Will of Hudson, OH; a step daughter-Deborah (Tom) Metz of Hamilton, IN; three stepsons- James (Deb) Thiel, Steve Thiel, both of Hicksville, OH, Richard (Jean) Thiel of Springfield, TN; grandchildren; great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a son Jeffery and a sister Sara Garling.

Visitation for John will be Sunday from 1:00-3:00 with a Funeral Service following at 3:00 at Smith & Brown Funeral Home, Hicksville, Ohio.