Paul W. Crouse

Paul W. Crouse, 90, of Lakeside-Marblehead and formerly of Risingsun, Ohio passed away Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at Otterbein North Shore. He was born December 13, 1933, in Greene County, Indiana, the son of Walter and Gladys (Street) Crouse. Paul, who was known to his family, friends and co-workers as "Strawberry", grew up in Rutherford Township, Martin County, Indiana.

Paul married Mary Sue Craney at St. Martin Parish in Loogootee, Indiana on May 10, 1958, and was happily married for over 65 years until Mary Sue died on July 23, 2023. He served in the United States Army in the 86th Infantry Regiment as a machine gunner stationed in Germany from 1954-1956 during the Korean War. After returning from active Military Service, Paul worked at the U.S. Naval Warfare Service Center in Crane, Indiana as a security officer.

Paul was never a stranger to hard work. In his younger years he worked on family farms and then operated a sawmill in Martin County Indiana that supplied wood blanks for the manufacturing of baseball bats in Louisville, Kentucky. He and Mary Sue moved from Indiana, and he worked for over 50 years in pipeline construction as a heavy equipment operator and project superintendent with Summerville, H.L. Gentry, M&R Construction and H.L. Crouse Construction Companies.

Paul was a member of Wood County Masonic Lodge #112 F.& A.M. for over 50 years and his hobbies included fishing, gardening, brewing craft beer, playing cards and hunting for Morel mushrooms. But he will always be remembered for his love of country and bluegrass music. Paul played the guitar, mandolin and fiddle. As teenagers, he and his sister Marilyn performed on Saturday mornings for an Indianapolis, Indiana radio station. But his favorite performances were for family and friends at numerous New Year's Eve and Memorial Day gatherings over the years.

Surviving are his sons: Roger (Trish Ahrens) Crouse of Marblehead, Alan (Cheryl) Crouse of Northville, MI; grandchildren: Maya Crouse, Ryan Crouse; brothers: Richard Crouse, Gerald Crouse and sister: Marilyn Gerkin. He was preceded in death by his wife: Mary Sue Crouse; siblings: Juke, Ralph “Bud”, Harold, Ronald, Eleanor, Maxine, Doris and Carolyn.

Memorial services will be conducted May 18, 2024 at 12:00 noon at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 540 Church Rd. Marblehead, OH with interment at Resurrection Cemetery, Toledo, Ohio. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.neideckercrosserpriesman.com.