When Owen Rantschler was born on December 5, 1917, in Colorado, his father, Frank, was 39 and his mother, Mary, was 33. He had one brother and three sisters. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II as a Technical Sergeant in the 157th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. He entered service in Colorado. He died on August 26, 1944 during the invasion of southern France. He is now buried at Roselawn Cemetery, Pueblo, Pueblo County, Colorado, USA.