Robert W. Crouch, 77, Country Club, Missouri, passed away Friday, July 1, 2022 in his home.
He was vibrant and active up until his final moments, gardening, working, enjoying grandchildren, and engaging in the community.
He was born on April 27, 1945 in Kansas City, Missouri to Ralph and Floy (Reeves) Crouch. He grew up with two older sisters in Johnson County, Kansas, often spending summers working with his grandfather on the farm in Everest, Kansas. In high school, he played the tuba. He was a proud Eagle Scout. At an early age, he developed virtues of community service and patriotism that would be a thread throughout his adult life.
Bob attended Kansas State University, where he met his wife, Vikki Kay Miller. They married in 1970. He earned his master’s degree in business administration from Indiana State University. Bob was a captain in the U.S. Army. He and Vikki spent the first 1 ½ years of their marriage stationed in Germany. They had two children, Elisa (Crouch) Tomich and Dean Crouch and was a beloved dad to both.
Bob enjoyed logic and numbers. He spent his career as a certified public accountant, starting at Arthur Andersen & Co. as an audit manager and eventually working independently as a financial consultant in St. Joseph. For 10 years he volunteered as a financial consultant to MidCity Excellence Community Learning Center, an organization he championed for its role in providing education and mental health support to youth in St. Joseph. He began serving as MidCity’s board treasurer in January 2022.
He found purpose through volunteering and was a longtime member of the Downtown St. Joseph Rotary Club #32. He rarely (if ever) missed a meeting. Over the years he served in a number of leadership roles including several stints as the assistant district governor, as well as president from 2002-2003. He became the go-to person for club history and was passionate about maintaining the club’s financial integrity. He was a mentor to younger members, and was a source of wit and wisdom, and continuous encouragement. His support helped St. Joseph receive grants to fund an important project to help children experiencing trauma. He received the Paul Harris Fellow recognition for his contributions.
He loved outdoors and open spaces. He and Vikki spent family vacations in Estes Park, Colorado, where he climbed Longs Peak in the 1980s. He eventually managed the family farm where he’d spent summers as a youth and received the Bankers Conservation Award in Brown County, Kansas in 2003. He served as treasurer of the Everest Alliance.
Bob was an avid reader, often reading two books at once. He was a lover of U.S. history and had an insatiable curiosity about the natural world. He spent summers harvesting vegetables and wildflowers from his backyard gardens.
Bob was a devoted grandfather. He read countless story books, pitched hundreds of whiffle balls, went on hikes, laughed at knock-knock jokes, and loved watching his four grandchildren play.
He was a member of Frederick Boulevard Baptist Church. Bob was a devoted Christian whose faith increased over the years. His family finds comfort knowing he is at peace and with the Lord.
Survivors include his wife, Vikki Crouch; daughter, Elisa (Crouch) Tomich, her husband, Jeff Tomich, and their children, Gabriella and Henry; son, Dean Crouch, his wife, April (Lay) Crouch, and their children, Brighton and Bode; and sisters, Margaret (Crouch) McWhorter, and Kathryn (Crouch) Kraai.
Farewell Services and Public Livestream 10:30 A.M. Thursday, Frederick Boulevard Baptist Church. The family will gather with friends 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. Wednesday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. Interment Memorial Park Cemetery.
