1931 to 2011

Global Ministries is saddened to learn of the death of John Maitland Rasche on February 9, 2011, at 79 years of age.  John died peacefully after a short bout with liver cancer.

John was born on December 25, 1931, one of three children of Reverend Walter and Naomi Rasche.  Reverend Rasche had served as pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Jasper, Indiana.

John felt he spent a wonderful life dedicating himself to the education of youth in Kyoto, Japan, and in Berkeley, California.  He taught English and was director of the Hawaii Ryo Dormitory at Doshisha University in Kyoto for 36 years, retiring in 1997.  He then went to Berkeley to tutor in the Berkeley public schools, coaching in the Writer Coach Connection program.  He enjoyed meeting the students and his colleagues almost daily, and considered himself lucky to have found a perfect niche in Berkeley. 

He is survived by his younger sister, Nancy Rasche Berg, of Hermantown, Minnesota, and Green Valley, Arizona, who took loving care of him to the end.  His older sister, Sidney Rasche Lange, of Chicago, Illinois, died in December 2010.  

Messages of condolence may be sent to Ms. Nancy L. Berg, 4890 Oak Ridge Drive, Hermantown, MN 55811-1729.  Memorial gifts may be directed to Global Ministries, 700 Prospect Avenue, 7^th floor, Cleveland, Ohio  44115.