J. Harold Crout Sr.

J. Harold Crout, Sr., 87, a native of Greenville, SC and beloved husband of the late Charlotte O. Crout, passed away June 17, 2024. He was the son of the late Sloan and Lottie Crout.
Harold and Charlotte were married for 63 years prior to her death in 2022. Harold was a man of immense humor and wisdom, who cherished his family. Harold had an uncanny ability to find laughter in daily activities. His smiling personality was contagious to everyone he met. He was a man of faith, a follower of Jesus Christ, and a lifelong member of Trinity Lutheran Church. As a boy he and his twin brother, Harry, were acolytes, much later, he served on church council.
After graduating Furman University in 1959 and serving in the United States Army in Germany for three years, Harold began a career in sales. After working with Colgate Palmolive, then with a local food brokerage company, he started his own business, The J. Harold Crout Company, in 1980. He represented a number of vending lines for national manufacturers, and upon his retirement in 1999, sold his business to Burdette Beckman Company.
During his career, Harold was the Secretary of the National Vend Brokers Association, served on the Board of Directors for the South Carolina Automatic Merchandise Association, and was on several advisory boards serving manufacturers' interests in the vending channel. Harold's company won numerous national sales awards.
Harold is survived by his son, James Crout (Susan); his daughter, Patricia Crout Gwinn (McCrady); three grandchildren, Jay Crout (Mary Ann), Laurel Crout Hammond (Tee), and Claudia Gwinn Tuttle (Paul); five great grandchildren, and a brother, Oris Crout of Asheville. He was predeceased by his siblings: Frank, Carthel, Evelyn, and Harry.
There will be a private burial service. The family will receive friends on Saturday, June 22, 2024 from 2:30 p.m. until 3:30 p.m., at the Thomas McAfee Funeral Home, Downtown, 639 North Main Street, Greenville SC, 29601.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, 421 North Main Street, Greenville SC, 29601; Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church, 739 North Main Street, Mauldin SC 29662; or Village Presbyterian Church c/o Greenville ARP, 741 Cleveland St., Greenville SC 29601.
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