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 B.A. degree in January 1971.
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.
Jack became a member of 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.