William Edward Crouse

William “Bill” Edward Crouse

Bill was born April 22, 1930.  He was the son of Harry Smith Crouse and Cora Snyder Crouse.  He was born and raised in Middleburg, Snyder County, Pennsylvania.  He was an only child so has no nieces or nephews.  His parents were in their 40’s when he was born.  He has some cousins living in PA, NJ and OK.  The cousin he is still close to is Robert Springman who now lives in a nursing home in Langhorne, PA  and is 94 years old.  Robert has children living in that area with the names of Robert, Daniel and Patty that he could remember.  He is also close to Alice’s nephew, Robert Coots, who lives with his wife Sunny, in Taylorsville, KY.

He graduated from High School in Middleburg in 1948.  He then attended Thompson College in Harrisburg and graduated with an Associate’s degree in Business Administration in 1951.

He got deferred form the Armed Forces and worked for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a corporation tax officer for three years until he was vested.  He then joined the Air Force during the Korean conflict where he spent 4 years working in Finance.  He spent the entire time at Samson Air Force Base at Lake Seneca in New York City Division, only 150 miles from home.

Near the end of 1956 he got out of the Air Force and started working in the Post Office in Middleburg for 3 years after which he became a Postal Inspector which he did for 20 more years.  He was transferred to the New York State in the Audit and Criminal area.

He was at a postal inspection seminar in Washington D.C. and was the roommate of Mr. Salsman who was married to Frances Salsman.  Francis had been a roommate of Alice Money while at University of Kentucky and they had remained friends.  Mr. Salsman invited Bill to Kentucky and arranged for him to meet Alice.  After dating at least 50 women, (Bill’s estimate explaining that if he had a date with two different women each year for 25 years that would be 50) he must have been attracted to Alice because a couple of years later he married Alice on February 1, 1969.

At that time he was living in Liverpool, New York.  She joined him there for a time after which they moved to Lancaster for two years, then to Shiremanstown.  While there they had a house built on Robert Street where they moved sometime in the 70’s.  In 2010 they sold their home and moved to Bethany Village where they had a lovely apartment which they shared until the following year when Alice’s health deteriorated and she needed to move into skilled care.  She was not alone there all the time as he spent a few hours with her every day that he was physically able and ate dinner with her in the dining room.  Her best time of the day was when he appeared as she would always be watching for him.  He was always the light of her life as she was for him.  Since her death he struggles with the loneliness and sadness that grieving for someone dearly loved causes when they are gone.

He retired as a Postal Inspector around 1979, partially due to the amount of traveling away from home involved.  He then went back to work for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a Corporation Tax officer until he could retire with an annuity.  (He cannot remember when he retired from the state).

When asked what words he would use to describe himself he first said “fortunate”.  Then he said sad and lonely now since Alice is gone.  Then he remembered one of his coworkers told him he was “conscientious to a fault”.

He said he had had a most enviable position as a postal inspector.  He was the only one at Harrisburg and would pull someone in from another position when he needed help.  At one time his boss got a promotion because of the good work Bill was doing.  (When asked if he got any of the raise his boss would have gotten, he said he could have been promoted also but really enjoyed his job too much to change).

One incident he shared where he was called into investigate was while working at the Harrisburg Post Office:  An employee has been suspected of stealing for years even though his shop window check account always came out to the cent every day.  He like to go to the track and one day while he was gone Bill checked his inventory and found that he had sold 3 money orders for $500 which always required cash.  His drawer was $1500 short.  This employee got a notable attorney and got off with just making good the money and of course losing his job.

Some of the things Bill enjoyed doing over the years was playing racquetball and square and round dancing with Alice.  They also enjoyed at least 20 hostel programs where they traveled to and from NY to FL.  Bill really looked forward to spending the winters in Florida until he fell and hurt his back the winter of 2009-2010 after which they could no longer go.  He always enjoyed reading until it became more difficult after he developed macular degeneration.

Bill played softball in High School when they won the State Championship.  He still enjoys watching baseball, especially the Phillies.  He took Alice to games and she came to appreciate the Phillies as much as he did.

Bill was a member of the United Church of Christ all of his life.  He was superintendent of the Sunday school in Middleburg.  After he became a member of St. Paul’s in Mechanicsburg, he was very active for many years.

He served on the Consistory as both a Deacon and Elder.  He was once chairman of Extended Ministry and served a number of years on Stewardship Ministry.  He and Alice always helped with the Bazaar each fall.

He was the founder and president of the “Holy Rollers”, the name given to an Investment group that was active at St. Paul’s for a number of years.  It finally broke up because of the lack of computer skills of the members still involved.  They invested in stocks.  When they broke up, everyone came out ahead.

Bill has been a member of the Masonic Lodge since he was 21 years of age so now it has been 61 years.  He was first a member of the Blue Lodge in Middleburg.  Now he has been a member of the Harrisburg Consistory for 50 years.  He would have been a Master but had to give it up due to his job at the time.

He says he is not a “cook” even though he had to do this after Alice was no longer able to do so.  His best meal is done in a Crockpot.  The hardest thing for him to give his car up for was going to the grocery store in Camp Hill where someone would help him with getting things in his car.

All are welcome to join Bill’s family at his gathering of family and friends on Wednesday, March 29, 2017, from 10:00 a.m. until time of service at 11:00 a.m. at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, 626 Williams Grove Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055; with Reverend John J. Ward-Diorio officiating.  Interment will follow at the church.  Bill’s family invites everyone to join them for a time of food and fellowship at his church following the interment.  Cremation was private.

Bill’s family has entrusted his care to Myers – Buhrig Funeral Home and Crematory in Mechanicsburg, (717) 766-3421.  Read Bill’s full obituary, view his picture, and sign his official guest book at Buhrig.com.