Robert Paul Crouch Jr.

CROUCH, Robert Paul, Jr., "Bob," of Mechanicsville, Virginia, died peacefully on Wednesday, September 8, 2021, with his family by his side. Bob was born on March 28, 1948, at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C. The son of an Army medic and World War II veteran, he lived in Florida, California, Washington, Hawaii, France and the Azores Islands all before age 16. When his father retired from the Army, the family landed in Henry County, Virginia, where Bob enrolled at Drewry Mason High School. He quickly put down roots and adopted Virginia as his beloved home state. Bob was a lifelong learner, attending the University of Georgia, Patrick Henry Community College, George Mason University, the University of Maryland, the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, where he earned a master's in public administration, and the University of Virginia School of Law, where he earned his J.D. He enjoyed teaching as an adjunct at Ferrum College and Virginia Commonwealth University over the years and was gratified to give back to Virginia's higher education system by serving on the Board of Visitors for George Mason University and the Virginia State Board for Community Colleges. He recently spoke of pursuing a Ph.D., inspired by his eldest grandson heading to college. From an early age, Bob was an avid believer in the project and promise of democracy, and he spent his life working toward this goal. As with many people of his generation, he was inspired by John and Robert Kennedy and he served as a staffer on Capitol Hill as a college student. His time on Capitol Hill impacted his life greatly. Bob was so very fortunate to have had Senator William B. Spong as an early boss and mentor. And a Senate office building elevator was where he first spotted his beloved wife, Clara (who was working for Tennessee Senator Howard Baker at the time). They married on September 2, 1973. Bob went on to work on state and local political campaigns too numerous to name, creating decades-long friendships with people all over the Commonwealth. Highlights of Bob's career include being elected as Clerk of the Circuit Court of Henry County, Virginia, from 1976 to 1985 and being appointed by President Clinton as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia from 1993 to 2001. He was honored and humbled by the opportunity to serve Governor Mark Warner as Chief Deputy Secretary of Public Safety from 2002 to 2005 and as Counselor to the Governor from 2005 to 2006 and Governor Tim Kaine as Assistant to the Governor for Commonwealth Preparedness from 2006 to 2010. Bob gave back in small ways as well, serving on many community boards, panels and committees, donating blood whenever possible, volunteering with the PTA, mentoring young people, writing countless letters of recommendation, serving as a member of an American Red Cross Disaster Team from 2017 to 2019, and serving as a poll observer in the 2020 election. Bob was passionate about reading, music, art, history, travel, classic cars, motorcycling, college football, Washington Nationals baseball and anything that his grandkids were interested in. He loved drives on the Blue Ridge Parkway with Clara in their 1968 GTO, watching Nationals games with his dog Nattie by his side, visiting Emily's family in California and sampling the LA restaurants featured in the Harry Bosch series, taking Clara to the beach and the mountains, catching live jazz at the Tin Pan in Richmond and painting. Retirement provided Bob the opportunity to bring these interests together in an epic cross-country motorcycling trip that followed in the footsteps of the Lewis and Clark expedition, highlighted locations visited by Ritchie Valens and included stops at numerous national parks along the way. Before his recent illness, Bob was busily planning guitar jam sessions with his grandson, Theo, fly-fishing near Colorado State University with his grandson, Henry and golfing with his granddaughter, Ellie and son-in-law, Nathan. Bob was a devoted husband, father, son, brother and granddaddy. He was preceded in death by his father, Robert Paul Crouch Sr.; and is survived by his wife of 48 years, Clara Johnson Crouch; a daughter, Emily Crouch Vitan and her husband, Nathan; three beloved grandchildren, Henry, Ellie and Theo; his mother, Rosa Deal Crouch; and one brother, Douglas A. Crouch. A memorial service is planned at 1 p.m. on Thursday, November 4, 2021, at Montfair Resort Farm (2500 Bezaleel Drive, Crozet, Va. 22932), with visitation immediately following. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Bon Secours Community Hospice House (bsvaf.org), which provided comfort and peace to Bob and his family during his final days, or to the American Red Cross (redcross.org). Online condolences at www.woodyfuneral homeatlee.com.