OBIT: Orange City, Fla. -
Earl F. Crouse, 94, passed away on July 23, 2008 at John Knox Village in Orange City, Florida where he and his wife, Frances Fuson Crouse, had retired to in 1991.

A memorial service will be held at the Bogota Baptist Church in Bogota, Illinois on August 26, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. Relatives and friends are welcome to share in this memorial. Following the memorial service, his ashes will be buried beside his beloved wife at the Honey Cemetery in Bogota, IL. Crain Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Earl Crouse was born January 6, 1914 in Bogota, Illinois to Sherman Crouse and Lillian Smallwood Crouse. He graduated from the University of Illinois. He married Frances Fuson, also of Bogota, IL in 1939. His wife of 58 years preceded him in death in 1998. Prior to moving to John Knox Village, Earl had lived in Urbana, Illinois, where he started his business and served as editor and publisher of The Farm Picture. Prior to his move to Illinois, he lived in St. Louis, Missouri, where he worked for the Doane Agricultural Services. He co-authored the book, Rural Appraisals. His professional accomplishments were acknowledged in several issues of the Who's Who in America. He served as the Chairman of Deacons in three Southern Baptist churches in Missouri, Illinois and Florida. He also was appointed to lead fundraising efforts for the expansion of the Pennsylvania Ave. Baptist Church in Urbana, Illinois as well as the Oviedo Baptist Church in Oviedo, Florida. He received numerous awards from the church communities including, "Man of the Year" and "Senior Adult Man of the Year."

Earl is survived by one brother, Marion Crouse of Coos Bay, Oregon and three children, sons, Kenneth Crouse of Denver, Colorado and David Crouse of Champaign, IL and daughter, Shirley Anderson of Charleston, SC; seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Earl was preceded in death by his parents, wife, one brother, Russell Crouse and his eldest daughter, Annetta Crouse Murawski.

In loving memory of Earl, memorials may be made to the Bogota Baptist Church or to The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.