George O'Brien Crouch was born August 24, 1901, on a farm near Ulmer, Iowa, the son of Abram W. and Mary (Wiseman) Crouch.

In 1910, the family moved to a homestead in the Creighton area, 26 miles north of Wall, South Dakota.  He grew up on the homestead and received his elementary education in rural schools in that community prior to graduating from Philip High School in 1923.  In his summer months, he worked at Yellowstone National Park.  After his graduation, he returned to the homestead where he farmed and ranched with his parents.

George was united in marriage to Bernice Van Vleck on May 9, 1938, at Kadoka, and to this marriage was born four sons.  They made their home on the family homestead north of Wall.

On November 20, 1948, Bernice and their son, Kirk, were killed in an auto accident near the homestead.

George was united in marriage to Etta Newkirk on May 31, 1950, at Sturgis.  They made their home on the farm-ranch until moving into Wall in 1960, but they continued to operate the homestead until 1967, when it was sold.

George became interested in the REA in 1947 and became a chairman of the Wall REA and served in this capacity until 1965; he continued to serve on the Rushmore REA.  From 1967 until 1974, he served on the State REA Board.  In 1961, he was elected to the State ASC Office, a position he held for two years.  George served two terms as a representative for the State of South Dakota.

In 1976, George became mayor of Wall, a position he held for 10 years.  He was a member of the Masons; the Wall Lions Club; and was a charter member of the Evangelical Free Bible Church, where he served as a trustee and secretary-treasurer.  He served on the Wall Cemetery Board for over 20 years and the Vanishing Trails Expeditions in Wall from 1960 to 1976.

George and Etta moved to the Westhills Village in Rapid City on February 29, 1988.  While in Rapid City, George was honored by being inducted into the Catalyst Club as a "Good Neighbor" in 1992.  A quote was made by a local Wall priest, who said, "George has the rare quality of always being the same."

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Etta Crouch of Rapid City; three sons and their spouses, John and Marie Crouch of Clarinda, Iowa, Keith and Judy Crouch of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and Barth and Susan Crouch of Salina, Kansas; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; two sisters-in-law, Fern Crouch of Rapid City and Nina Crouch of Louisville, Kentucky; and a host of other relatives and friends.

In addition to his first wife, Bernice, and their son, Kirk, he was preceded in death by his parents, seven brothers, and one sister.

A memorial has been established.

Services
Monday, December 14, 1998
10:00 a.m.
Evangelical Free Bible Church
Wall, South Dakota

Officiating
Pastor Ron Lewis

Music
Rose Barber - Organist
Andrea Barber - Vocalist - "Away in the Manager"
Congregational Hymns
"Rock of Ages"
"How Great Thou Art"

Ushers
Gerald Julson - Jim Barber

Active Pallbearers
Brian Barber - Charles Kruse
Lawrence Kruse - Lawrence Schreiber
Derold Munger - Dean Parsons

Honorary Pallbearers
All relatives and friends in attendance

Interment
Wall Cemetery
Wall, South Dakota