Remembering Howard Crouch
Howard Crouch taught in the education department at Juniata from 1963-1989. He received his bachelor of science degree from THE Ohio State University in 1949, a master’s degree in education from Westminster College in 1953 and a Ph.D., again from THE OSU in 1964. He and I shared a passion for The Buckeyes and a birthday. I am not sure how we discovered that we shared a birthday, but early in the morning of every June 24, I would get a call from Howard wishing me a happy birthday. We also played a lot of golf, poker (with Duane Stroman, Philbrook Smith, Tom Nolan, Paul Heberling and Buff Vocke, among others) and something called handball which was played in two small rooms with pipes on the walls before we had actual handball courts at Juniata College.
Before Howard came to Juniata, he was a high school teacher, administrator and basketball coach in northeast Ohio. After getting the Ph.D., he came to Juniata and helped build an excellent education department with his colleagues including Fay Glosenger, Miriam Schlegel, Kim Richardson and Tom Woodrow. Theater was actually Howard’s first love. In addition to teaching, he was active in community theater and created a summer arts program for the Army Corps of Engineers at the “new” Raystown Lake amphitheater. He also participated in all of the faculty All Class Night skits.
In addition to being an advocate of the arts and theater in the community and an excellent teacher, advisor and administrator, Howard was a loving and dedicated husband and father. His wife, Hazel, worked in the library at Juniata for many years. He was obviously devoted to her and his children Eric, Mark and Marsha, and his grandchildren. He was a good friend and I missed his call last June.
—Jim Lakso, provost emeritus and professor of economics and business administration, emeritus
Howard Hayes Crouch, 95, a resident of Huntingdon for more than 50 years, passed away at 9:02 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019, at AristaCare at Huntingdon Park, Huntingdon.
Born June 24, 1924, in Warren, Ohio, he was a son of the late Howard B. and Carrie M. (Hayes) Crouch. He was united in marriage to the former Hazel E. Black June 15, 1947, in Columbus, Ohio. Mrs. Crouch preceded him in death March 8, 2017, after nearly 70 years of marriage.
He is survived by his children, Marc H. Crouch and his wife, Marie, of Leesburg, Florida, Eric A. Crouch and Marsha L. Kyper and her husband, James, all of Huntingdon; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a half-brother, Robert A. Crouch.
Dr. Crouch was a member of the Stone Church of the Brethren, Huntingdon.
He served stateside in the U.S. Navy during World War II and the Korean War.
He was also a member of Music! Music! Music! (the Huntingdon area community chorus) and a former participant in productions at The Playhouse at McConnellstown. He was also a former member of the Phi Delta Kappa Fraternity, the Huntingdon Community Theatre and the Huntingdon Choral Union at Juniata College.
Dr. Crouch attended Greene, Ohio public schools and was a graduate of the Ohio State University and Westminster College, New Wilmington.
He was employed for 12 years as a public school teacher and administrator and then served as a professor at Juniata College, Huntingdon, for 28 years until his retirement in 1989.
Dr. Crouch will be best remembered for his support of and participation in the performing arts in each community in which he resided; as well as his staunch support and advocacy for public education.