William “Woody” Crouse, 92
A Funeral Mass for William “Woody” Crouse, age 92, of Tupper Lake, was held on Monday, March 15, 2021 at 1p.m. at St. Alphonsus Holy Name Church with Rev. Douglas Decker officiating. Calling hours were held on Monday, March 15, 2021 from 10a.m. to 12:30p.m. at Frary-Stuart Funeral Home.
Mr. Crouse passed away on Wednesday, March 10, 2021 at Adirondack Medical Center, Saranac Lake.
William was born on August 23, 1928, in Syracuse, New York, the son of Lawrence Peter and Rose Elizabeth Lawson Crouse. He graduated from Christian Brothers Academy in 1946.
He was a Boy Scout at a young age and achieved Eagle Scout status. He enlisted in the Navy where he was a radio technician and served in the Korean War before being discharged in 1953.
Using the GI Bill, he enrolled at SUNY Oswego and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Industrial Arts.
William married Elena Sartor in 1956 in Syracuse, N.Y. They then moved to Tupper Lake in 1957 where he started as an industrial arts teacher at Tupper Lake Central School District where he worked for 26 years before retiring in 1983.
Another accomplishment Woody was proud of was attaining his Amateur Radio (ham radio) license. After retirement, he began building Adirondack Guide Boats, building 17 guide boats in total.
In 1986, he travelled to Ireland and spent six months building a boat at the County Cork Mallow Castle.
Later on in his life he wrote and published two books: The Navy Way (A Memoir) and Why I Hate English (An Anthology of Idioms, Slangs and North County Sayings).
Some of the hobbies that he enjoyed in life were fishing, hunting, tying flies, and building Adirondack furniture.
He belonged to the Moose Lodge for 50 years and the Big Simond Hunting Club for over 60 years. He was a member of the VFW and took part of many Korean War Veteran’s Reunions including the 50th anniversary reunion. He was also an avid parishioner of St. Alphonsus Church in Tupper Lake.
There was nothing that Bill cherished more than his family. He is survived by his three children, Patrick Crouse and his wife, Sheila, of Piseco, N.Y., Thomas Crouse, of Tupper Lake, and Linda Farnsworth and her husband, Steve, of Tupper Lake. He is also survived by fourteen grandchildren: Emma, Abby, Anna, Emmy, Tessa, Amanda, Brenna, Victoria, Jonathan, Kristopher, Thomas, Liza, Gwen and Matthew; thirteen great-grandchildren; his brother, Henry Crouse and his wife, Barbara, of Syracuse, N.Y.; his sister, Mary McKinley and her husband, Richard, of Vestal, N.Y.; a dear friend, Deborah Roberts and several cousins, nieces, and nephews. He is predeceased by his parents and his brother, Peter Crouse.
Donations in his memory can be made to the Honor Flight Program, Box L-4016, Columbus, OH 43260- 4016 and the Tupper Lake Rescue Squad, 169 Main St, Tupper Lake, NY 12986.
Condolences may be made online at www.fraryfuneralhomes.com.