Freeman Crouch, Jr.

Freeman Burke “Jack” Crouch, Jr. age 90, passed away recently at Grether Country Village in Angleton, Texas.

Jack was born in Port Arthur, Texas, on November 9, 1931. He attended Port Arthur Jefferson High and played the saxophone in the band. He served in the US Air Force, and then came home and received a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Lamar in 1955.

He married Maebelle “Bea” Claunch in the spring of 1956.

He worked in a number of different roles at Dow Chemical Texas Division and other petrochemical firms. He started his career in a pipe shop, where he designed a cutting machine that stayed in service for many decades. He then joined a Maintenance group and served as foreman and superintendent. He served as unit manager for the historic Magnesium plant “Mag III.” In 1981, he transferred to Dowell in Tulsa, and managed a unit that built oil field service vehicles.

Maintenance and renovation were both a career and a passion for Jack. His renovation projects over the years included a couple of house renovations, a 24-foot wooden cabin cruiser, a 29 foot wooden sloop, and countless old cars.

In his golden years, he renovated a car dealership building in downtown West Columbia, and sold collectible cars.

He was a gifted mechanic and engineer, and even more gifted as a father. He also made a pretty good pot of gumbo. (His “job description” for gumbo is a prized family secret.)

He was preceded in death by his wife Bea, and his parents, F. B. Crouch Sr, and Ollie Flowers Crouch.

He is survived by his son Freeman Burke “Jack” Crouch III and his wife Stephanie Ward Crouch, and their son Trevor Weede; his son John Rankin Crouch, his wife Kary Hall Crouch and their daughter Kristin Hymel and her husband John Hymel; nephew George Taylor and his wife Jean, their son great-nephew Thomas Taylor and his wife Kellie, nephew Bill Taylor and his wife Sue, and their daughter, great-niece Kate McCollum and her husband Mark. He is also survived by his brother-in-law Rankin Claunch, and his niece Kathy Claunch and nephew Michael Claunch.

The family would also like to remember friends and staff from Grether Country Village, including Amy Stewart and Sarah Richards, and Stephen Sherman.

In lieu of flowers please donate to the Texas Masonic Charities Foundation.