John Auten Obituary

John B. Auten

June 1, 1935 - February 7, 2025

John Buckler Auten had family by his side in his last moments. He passed away Friday, February 7th, 2025, living to the ripe old age of 89. And those years were full.

John was born to Ralph and Ruth Auten in Bellefontaine, Ohio in 1935. Eventually, he made his way to Thiel College, where he claims to have spotted Barb, who was to become his wife, across a crowded dance floor. They married in 1954 and Barb will attest it was a hell of a ride for seventy-one years.

As you may now guess, John was a great storyteller and commanded most rooms he was in by the sheer force of his personality. He wove that energy into his career as a social worker, graduating from Washington University with a master's degree. He first worked with troubled youth in St. Louis, then seniors in Ann Arbor, and finally as a counselor to high school students and their families in various small-town Wisconsin schools.

John did take a few years' break to try his hand at professional acting. Though a big man, he sang in his tender tenor through production after production, from community theaters to professional stages in Madison and Milwaukee, not to mention singing along with the radio any time he got in a car. Timberlake Regional Playhouse was the summer stock base for John and Barb for many years. He is now enshrined on their Wall of Fame. His last standing ovation was on February 2nd, as he was honored as one of the first to be featured in the Wall of Honor at the Beaver Dam Area Community Theatre, where he both acted and directed in scores of plays.

Rugby kept John young at heart, spiritual while his faith centered him spiritually.

If the measure of life is the people he left behind, John leaves a strong family that will miss him every day. There is his wife, Barbara Obenauf Auten, who was John's anchor. They loved each other as only people who make it through a lifetime together can. He is also survived by two brothers, Tom (Angela) and Dave (Barbara ). John and Barb had four children: Deborah Auten (Sam Lunt); Gregory Auten (Ann Auten); Cynthia Andre (Bruce Andre) and Rebecca Auten (Dave Bliskey). There are five grandchildren: Lindsey and Courtney Auten, Trevor and Dakota Andre, and Hannah Lunt. Lindsey and Courtney have added great-grandchildren, who gave John great joy: Jayden, Trae and Cade, Kiarra, and Addy and Grace.

This was a man who lived his life to the utmost. We celebrate and honor him.