KENNETH E. CROUCH

KENNETH E. CROUCH Kenneth E. Crouch, of Osawatomie, Kansas, passed away peacefully on November 30, 2021 at age 95 while in Life Care Center in Osawatomie. Kenneth was born to Roy William and Edna Gertrude (Campbell) Crouch on March 24, 1926 in Sedalia, Missouri. He had one brother, Cecil. He attended grade school in Sedalia, Missouri and graduated in 1943 from Syracuse High School in Missouri. In high school he was short, but played basketball. Since the school didn't have a basketball court in a gym in the beginning, they played outside on a dirt court. Before the end of his high school basketball career, they had an indoor court. He played the clarinet and also sang in high school, participating in contests. He attended one semester of college at Central Missouri College and he even taught school in a one-room schoolhouse for a short time.He then joined the Army Air Corp (now US Air Force) during WWII. He was trained as a machine gunner on a B25 airplane, but never saw active duty due to the end of the war. After his time in the service, he married Dallisrose Carver on May 25, 1947. She had been a friend of his in school and the friendship rekindled once he returned home. Together they had two sons, Keith William of Paola, Kansas and Mark Alan of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Kenneth was trained as a machinist for the Missouri Pacific Railroad (later Union Missouri Pacific Railroad). He was the 5th generation of the Crouch family to work for the Missouri Pacific Railroad. Kenneth moved his family to Osawatomie, Kansas in1951 and continued to work for Missouri Pacific Railroad. He made replacement parts and overhauled train engines, and was a self-taught welder. After the railroad shops closed in Osawatomie, he worked for the Rock Island Railroad, KW Dart Truck Company, then Cline Truck Company (later known as ISCO Manufacturing). He completed his working career while working for the Miami County Appraisers Office verifying property records for the county. He retired in 1990. Kenneth belonged to many organizations and played active roles in leadership. His membership included the Elks B.P.O.E. #921, Osage Valley Masonic #24, Scottish Rite, Abdalla Shrine of Overland Park, board member of the Osawatomie Senior Center, NARVE #142, served on the Miami County Council on Aging, and Louisburg Shrine Club. He was also a member of the First United Methodist Church. Kenneth enjoyed golf, bowling, dancing, fishing, hunting, and camping. He was in tournaments, on leagues and teams. His motto in life was, "If it's worth doing, do it right," and he did. Kenneth was preceded in death by his parents, Dallisrose his wife of 53 years, his brother Cecil and wife Ann, a daughter-in-law, Patricia Crouch and a special friend Martha McReynolds. He is survived by his two sons, Keith (daughter-in-law Mary) and Mark; two grandchildren Amy (Chet) Belcher, and Paul (Shandra) Crouch; plus, four great-grandchildren, Madeline, Elise, Owen, and Adam; plus, nieces and nephews. Burial was in Sedalia, Missouri with a graveside service for the family only. A Celebration of Life will be held at the Eddy Birchard Funeral Home at 203 Main Street in Osawatomie, KS 66064, on Sunday, June 30, 2024. A visitation at 1:00 pm and a brief service at 2:00 pm.