John "Jack" Carl Rash's Obituary
John Carl Rash, known as Jack, passed away on June 27, 2026 after a brief hospital stay. He was born on October 21, 1946 in Houston, Texas to Robert Warren Rash and Mary Louise McDowell Rash. He was preceded in death by his parents, and his brother, Robert Warren Rash, Jr. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn Bell Rash; Carolyn’s sister Margaret Beaman and her husband Roger; Carolyn’s brother David Bell and his wife Christine; and several nieces; nephews; cousins and friends.
Due to a job promotion, his father moved the family to Fayetteville, when Jack was in high school, so he and brother could attend the University of Arkansas while living at home. Jack played trumpet in the Fayetteville High School band and appeared in several plays. He graduated from Fayetteville High School in 1965. While at U of A, he majored in journalism and received his BA degree in January 1971. Since moving to Arkansas, he has been an avid Razorback fan. He would watch every game available, not just football, basketball, and baseball, but also softball and volleyball. He wore his hog shirts and hats proudly and loved calling the hogs. Once, when he washed the driveway, he left WPS in circle and it stayed there for a long time.
Jack and Carolyn married on March 18, 1972. They first settled in Dallas, Texas and later in Garland, Texas. He worked for the Society of Petroleum Engineers, editing their internal publications, website, and later working on their television programs presenting during the annual Offshore Technology Conference. He retired in 2009.
After Carolyn retired from a career with JCPenney, they returned to Fayetteville in 2014. They have a house in town, and his “happy place” – a cabin in West Fork. He loved the mountains, really all of nature. He could spend hours sitting in the cabin’s porch rocker watching the deer graze in the yard or trying to identify the birds at feeders. He enjoyed native American flute music and learned to play. The cabin reflects his appreciation of Native American crafts and their respect for nature. He became a Master Gardener. Jack joined the Washington County Historical Society. He contributed an article to its publication, “Flashback”, in which he claimed he was the Earl of West Fork. You will have to read the article to find out why. As a result of his research on why he was claiming that title, he was writing a historical novel on his ancestors who settled in West Fork and moved the Texas. Unfortunately, he had not completed it before he died. The celebration of his life is being planned around what would have been his 80th birthday and will be at his happy place.
The family asks that all memorials be made to the charity of your choice in his memory.
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