John M. Crouse

John Crouse Sr., of St. Joseph and Naples, FL, passed away Friday evening, February 18, 2005, at Lakeland Hospital, St. Joseph. Friends may call from 6:00 ? 8:00 PM Monday at Kerley-Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home 2650 Niles Rd St. Joseph, MI 49085. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 1:00 PM Tuesday at the Funeral home with Rev. Dr. John Munson officiating. Entombment to follow at North Shore Memory Gardens. Memorials may be made to Fairplain Presbyterian Church or Majestic Theater Fund Gettysburg College, PO Box 423, Gettysburg, PA 17325. Friends wishing to send condolences may do so at the guest book at www.starks?menchinger.com John was born October 31, 1918 in Gettysburg PA to Mervin E. and Agnes C. (Aumen) Crouse. He graduated from Gettysburg High School and received a B.A. in business administration from Gettysburg College. On December 13, 1942 he married Betty Mae Shealer in the Army Air Corps chapel at Randolph Field Texas. John retired as vice president of Whirlpool Corporation in 1983 after 34 years with the company. A man of vision, John actively embraced the changing world in which he lived. He enlisted in the 104th U.S. Cavalry on November 25, 1940, and when that unit became the U.S. Army?s last horse-mounted regiment he enrolled in the U.S. Air Corps and was an early graduate of the Army?s Randoph Field pilot training school. During WWII he flew B-17 and B-25 bombers. He was seriously injured at the end of the war when the new B-29 he was piloting lost an engine and crashed near Clovis, NM. He was honorably discharged February 22, 1947 with the rank of Major. John joined Whirlpool Corporation?s field sales organization in 1949, and in 1951 was transferred to the company?s corporate headquarters in St. Joseph. He oversaw many innovations during his 35-year career at Whirlpool, including methods for managing the distribution of products that are today standards in the industry. Over the years he served on a variety of industry committees and boards, and was a founder and the first president of the National Automatic Laundry and Cleaning Council. He was Director Emeritus of Inter City (Shoreline) Bank, past president and director of the Twin City Chamber of Commerce, and past vice chairman and director of the Michigan State Chamber of Commerce. John was active in many civic organizations. He was a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and was a 32nd Degree Mason. An avid golfer, he was a member of Point-O-Woods Country Club in Benton Harbor, MI and Quail Creek Country Club in Naples, FL. Survivors include: wife Betty of St. Joseph and Naples, FL; son John M. Jr. and daughter-in-law Maureen Abele Crouse of Grand Rapids and Beaver Island, MI; son and daughter-in-law Robert C. and Sherry Crouse of LaGrange, KY; and daughter Elizabeth Crouse Erickson of Coldwater, MI. Grand children include Geoffrey (and wife Kathy) Crouse and great grandson Tristan of Silverthorne, CO; Jennifer Crouse of Grand Haven, MI; Jamie Lynn Crouse of LaGrange, KY, and Laurel and Logan Erickson of Coldwater, MI. He is also survived by Mary Jane Crouse of Grand Haven, MI; Linda Crouse of Louisville, KY; and James Erickson of Coldwater, MI. John was preceded in death by brothers James and Walter, and sister Anna Crouse Wagner.