Merle E. Crouse Jr.

Merle E. Crouse Jr. of Enfield entered into eternal rest on Monday, July 1, 2013, at Johnson Memorial Hospital.

Born in New Britain and raised in the Elmwood section of West Hartford, he was the youngest of six children of Merle E. Sr. and Beatrice Crouse.

He is survived by his wife Barbara Crouse, proud and loving father of Linda Crouse (Carl) Johnson, Jeffrey Crouse and his wife, Lisa Cadder Crouse, and daughter-in-law Odalis Perez-Crouse, (predeceased by his son Daniel Crouse); doting grandfather of Timothy Crouse, Jeremy Crouse, Danny Perez-Crouse, and Jillian Crouse. Merle is also survived by his sister Muriel Jordan; his brother Horace Crouse; and sister-in-law Sarah Crouse; along with a number of in-laws, nieces, and nephews. He was also predeceased by two sisters, Jeanne, Gwen and brother Linwood.

A corporal in the U.S. Army, he was a veteran of the Korean War. Merle worked alongside his father and brothers building houses in the Hartford area before becoming the service manager at Van's Leisure Living. He later started his own business, Merle's Mobile Home Repair Service. A skilled craftsman, he built the rec room, 3-car garage and the wrap-around covered porch at the family home. He also built many decks at his children's homes. He could fix anything from a leaky pipe, a broken furnace, to changing the oil on his vehicle, and sharpening the blades on the lawnmowers. His workshop in the garage was neat and orderly and had a drain in the floor so he could wash their vehicles all year long. He thoroughly enjoyed going out for breakfast with his longtime friends, Leo, Howie and Delbert, hanging out Thursday evenings with his antique car show buddies and perusing the local auction houses for "treasures." To say he will be missed is an understatement. They indeed broke the mold.

Relatives and friends may gather with his family during calling hours Monday, July 8, 2013, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Browne Memorial Funeral Chapels, 43 Shaker Road, Enfield.

The funeral service will take place at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 9, 2013, at the funeral home. The committal service will follow with military honors in St. Patrick King Street Cemetery in Enfield.

Memorial donations in his memory may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 2080 Silas Deane Highway (2nd Floor) Rocky Hill, CT 06067.

For online condolences and more information go to:

www.brownefuneralchapels.com