Renowned Lepidopterist, Dr. John E. Rawlins, Curator Emeritus of the Section of Invertebrate Zoology at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, passed away on December 26, 2021, at the age of 71 in Gilbert, Arizona. He had a distinguished 33-year career at the museum where he served as the head of section for that entire period. Herein, we give a summary of John's life, our remembrances, and stories of his adventures, and elucidate the profound impact he had on the direction, care, and growth of the insect collections at Carnegie Museum, especially during a time when museums worldwide have been hard hit by financial shortfalls and drastic declines in staffing.