b'HewasalsoacompetitorduringworkSteve, I love you. He replied, I love you time, and so the more I will remembertoo man. him as a great man.Steve Rausch was my friend, Albonetti LongtimefriendMarkAlbonetti,nowsaid. Steve Rausch is still my friend. I will InstallationandTechnicalSpecialistcarry him with me in my heart, always. forMDPro/Prova,metStevewhenheSteve, I love you too man!becameSoutheastRegionalManagerAddedLisaShaffer,MDPro/Prova for DAPs Commercial Division. ThoughTerritory Manager Ohio, Ky., Ind. , Mich., Stevewaswellversedinthefl and Pa., I will sorely miss Steve Rausch.ooring industry,AlbonettisaidhishungerforHe was a coach, fi erce competitor, and knowledge about tile led him to immersecolleague,butmostlyIgottocallhim himself in the tile part of our business.friend.Hehonoredmewithbeingmy AlbonettiandSteveenjoyedfriendlyfriend.Stevecaredabouttheindustry competition and both took the Ceramicintensely, knowing that the goal was to Tile Consultant class together, taught bymake it as professional as possible for the GrayLaFortune.In2001DAPsolditsgoodoftheindustry.IwillmissSteve, Commercial Division to Bostik. Steve thenhis constant teasing, his sage advice; but went to work for Georgia Pacifi c, with amostly his deep and abiding friendship.focus in backer boards. Eventually, SteveThis editor has known Steve for many moved to USG.years. He was always warm and friendly, ThisiswhereStevesrealinvolve- withtimeforachatortosharehis ment in helping our industry fl ourished,wisdom.Ilovedthatthoughwewere Albonettisaid.Stevealwaysfoughtforofdifferentpoliticalstripes,healways fairness, even if it ruffl ed some feathers.foundareasofagreementinourcon-Steve spent the last years of his career asversations.Helovedhisfamilyandhis a consultant to the industry. faith fi and delighted in fl Illercely, ying. You never had to guess where Stevemiss his welcoming, cheery voice on my stood on anything, Albonetti added. Itphone,hisperceptiveperspectiveinto did not matter if it was unpopular; Stevehuman nature in his writing, and catching didnothidefromhisbeliefs.Thisisupwithhimatindustryevents.Mostly, not to say that Steve did not value yourIllmissknowingheisintheworld. opinion, but you better come prepared,Go with God, my friend. because Steve was prepared. Steve dealt Lesley Goddinwith facts. His passions were God, family, fl ying, Scouts, friends and our wonderful industry.The night before Steve passed, a mutu-al friends husband suffered a stroke while away from home, Albonetti added. She talkedtoStevefromthehospitaland Steve offered to fl y to their location imme-diately to lend support. That was typical Steve Rausch. We talked the morning of hispassing.Havingspokentwicethat week already, it wasnt our longest con-versation ever, but like all our discussions, it was meaningful.We ended our phone conversation the same way we ended many of them. I told TileLetter | August 2019 89'