Robert "Pops" Flauss

Robert “Pops” Frank Flauss, devoted husband, father, grandfather, and friend, departed this life on Thursday, January 2, 2020 at his home in Covington, La. surrounded by his wife, children, and grandchildren. Pops was 78 years old. He is survived by the love of his life, JoAnn Selzer Flauss, wife of 54 years. He was preceded in death by his parents, Emile Haas Flauss and Camille Chaplain Flauss, and his brother Emile Peter Flauss and sister in law Beverly Selzer Flauss. Pop leaves behind five children and their spouses: Debora Flauss Grieco (Dr. Anthony Grieco); Robert J. Flauss (Tanya Karsch Flauss); David J. Flauss (Marsha Rooks Flauss); Brian J. Flauss (Ashely Lopez Flauss); and Brenda Flauss Shepherd (Jeremy Barret Shepherd). Additionally, he is survived by seventeen grandchildren: Seth, Aaron, Victoria, and Karenna Grieco; Olivia, Robert (Gabe), Adeline, and Bennet Flauss; Dalton, Dakota, Bethany, and Anna Flauss; Kennedy and Hunter Flauss; Barret, Ashton, and Marley Shepherd. Pops is also survived by his sister-in-law, June Mary Selzer, and his niece JoAnn Street (Stephen Street), and his nephew Stephen J. Flauss (Charles “Ritchie” Barber, Jr.) He grew up in New Orleans, La., and moved to Saint Bernard Parish in 1965, where he and his wife raised their children. He relocated to Saint Tammany Parish following Hurricane Katrina.  Pops graduated from Our Lady Star of the Sea Grammar School (New Orleans, La.) and Cor Jesu High School (New Orleans, La.) He attended St. Joseph Seminary College, University of New Orleans, Delgado Community College (New Orleans, La.), and St. Bernard Community College (Chalmette, La.)  Despite numerous lifelong health deficits, Pops’ occupations included roofing work (apprentice with Joe A. Selzer Roofing and later small business owner of Bob  Flauss Roofing); sheet metal mechanic at Avondale Shipyard, where he also participated in sea trials of navy ships-one ship he helped build was the USS Paul, to which his son would much later be assigned as a young naval officer; Brown and Root (AMAX Nickel Refining Plant), and contract work with stagehands companies in New Orleans. Pops performed twenty-two years of extensive volunteer work at Our Lady of Prompt Succor Church and School (O.L.P.S.) in Chalmette, La.; St Mary’s Dominican High School; and Brother Martin High School. He served in the offices of President, Vice President, and Chairman of numerous school committees. He coordinated the Father-Daughter Banquet/Father-Daughter Dance/and annual luncheon during the Mother-Daughter Fashion Show at Dominican High School. He was actively involved in set up and take down of school fairs at O.L.P.S. and both Dominican and Brother Martin High Schools. He helped plan and coordinate the building of new classrooms at O.L.P.S., and was involved in major fund-raising activities, including serving as Vice Chairman of The Tomato Festival at O.L.P.S. He helped transport and set up playground equipment at St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic School in Arabi, La. A highlight of his life occurred when, on recommendation of his pastor, the Times Picayune followed and reported on his families pilgrimage during the 1987 papal visit of Pope John Paul II to New Orleans. An avid outdoorsman and expert marksman (but never shot a buck!). He loved fishing (he knew all the good spots at Delacroix Island), hunting (ducks, geese, deer, and hogs), camping (in the Smokey Mountains and in wildlife management areas), bird watching, and wildlife in general. Additional hobbies included, but were not limited to, vegetable gardening, reading science fiction novels, anything historical or geological, coin collecting, and rock hounding. He held a wealth of information on these subjects. Well-versed in a myriad of trivia, his grandchildren think he knows “everything”. His wide range of continuing education includes carpentry, drafting, welding, real estate, and business accounting. He was an expert carpenter (his children benefitted), and was a certified heliarc and oxygen acetylene welder. As a small business owner, he successfully operated Bob Flauss Roofing Company for more than twenty-five years.  Devoted to his Catholic faith, he served many years at the alter and participated in weekly novenas to Our Lady of Perpetual Help. He spent one semester at St, Joseph Seminary discerning a potential vocation on to the priesthood. Eight months before his wedding, he and his future wife professed a solemn engagement at St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church in Arabi, Louisiana. With his wife, his daily prayers including the Rosary, Morning Offering, Guardian Angel Prayer, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, the Prayer to St. Michael Archangel, and 23rd Psalm. He listened to his favorite hymns (and “Jawn Denva”) while sorting coins and rocks. After the busyness of earning a living and raising a family, always an enthusiastic gardener, Pops enjoyed a simple life. He learned to praise and thank God for the many natural gifts related to land, sea, sky, crops, birds, and flowers. He carried his Confirmation crucifix in his left pants pocket from 1955 until the day he died. He influenced many lives, both by the way he lived and by the way he died. In Boy Scouts of America, Pops attained the level of Sea Scout Explorer. During his final hospitalization prior to his death, he was still reciting the Boy Scout Oath and Code of Honor with one of his nurses (Trey) who was an Eagle Scout. Pops lived by the Boy Scout motto, “BE PREPARED” (and encouraged others to do the same). Our family extends loving, deep-felt gratitude to the numerous dedicated caregivers and support staff at St. Tammany Parish Hospital who treated Pops and our family with dignified care and compassion during Pops’ twenty-two days of hospitalization. They provided an atmosphere of genuine loving service that included heaping doses of {appropriate} humor. Pops often commented that they were more like loving family members than hospital staff. Nurses, hospital doctors, social worker, palliative care nurse, and administrative personnel continually made themselves available for counseling to Pops’ wife. Words cannot express our sincere appreciation for the blessing of the devoted members of the STPH Hospice team. Before discharge, and during his final seven days at home, they treated Pops with dignity, expert care, and compassion. Besides coordinating Pops’ care and comfort, the Hospice team also performed necessary duties that allowed our family to concentrate only on Pops himself. We are forever grateful! Final Visitation will be held at Bagnell & Son Funeral Home, 75212 Hwy 437, Covington, Louisiana 70435 on Tuesday, January 7, 2020 from 10:00 a.m. followed by Mass at 12:00 p.m. Honoring Pops’ wishes, his remains will be cremated and interred privately at a later date. Feel free to wear camouflage to the service… Pops would love it!

We ask only for your love and prayers. However, should you wish, please consider requesting a Mass for the repose of Pops’ soul or any size donation to one if these charities:

American Heart Association (online or by mail to 7272 Greenville Ave. Dallas, Tx 75231)

American Kidney Fund (11921 Rockville Pike, Suite 300, Rockville, MD 20852)

St. Tammany Parish Hospice Program

Food for the Poor, Inc. (www.FoodForThePoor.org)

Northlake Crisis Pregnancy Center (19348 N. 4th Street, P.O. Box 3208, Covington, Louisiana 70433)

International  Fellowship of Christians and Jews (P.O. box 96105, Washington, D.C. 20090-6105)

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (donate online or send to 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105)