Obituary: Robert Spencer Crouse

Robert Spencer Crouse, age 89, of Clinton, died Thursday, May 22, 2014.

He was born June 14, 1924 in Rutherford, Tennessee, one of seven children born to Alice Keathley Crouse and Charles Hatton Crouse.

Mr. Crouse was a veteran of World War II, serving with the U.S. Army Air Corps, where he was a bomber pilot. He was stationed in Sicily and flew missions all around the Mediterranean. He received his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Tennessee. Mr. Crouse retired from Martin Marietta Energy Systems, where he was a chemical engineer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

He was a longtime member of Glenwood Baptist Church, where he was active with the choir and had served as deacon and president of the Sunday School Department. He enjoyed woodworking and was an accomplished author, having written a book of his wartime memories as a pilot, titled, “There I Was…”

In addition to his parents and his brother and five sisters, he was preceded in death by his first wife, Laverda King Crouse in 2011.

He is survived by his wife of almost three years, Mary Elizabeth Hope Crouse; daughter, Betty Adams and husband Bertram of Ft. Smith, Ark.; sons, Robert Daniel Crouse of San Diego, Calif., and Terry Crouse and wife Sherry of Knoxville; grandchildren, Wendy Gabriel and husband Mark of Knoxville, Dustin Spencer Crouse of Knoxville, Tristan Crouse of Boston, Mass., Channing Crouse of Rochester, N.Y., Gail Pugh and husband Alan of Fayetteville, Ark., and Craig Adams and wife Julie of E. Bentonville, Ark.; three great-grandchildren, Sarah Pugh, Nathan and Colin Adams; stepson, David Hope and wife Teresa of Clinton, and John Hope of Wartburg; stepdaughter, Sandra Hope of Oliver Springs; and step-grandchildren, Heather Hope, C.J. Monday, Mary Ann McClure, John Monday, Amber Raskulinecz and Kurt Hope.

The family received friends on Sunday, May 25, from 1–3 p.m. at Weatherford Mortuary. The funeral began at 3 p.m. with Rev. Mark Walton officiating. The burial followed at Oak Ridge Memorial Park.

The family asks that any memorials be made to Glenwood Baptist Church, 200 S. Alabama Rd., Oak Ridge, TN 37830.

An online guest book can be signed at www.weatherfordmortuary.com.