Long time St. Thomas resident Howard Crouse, 77, has died of complications from surgery in Pompano Beach, Fl.
Mr. Crouse and his wife, Eldith "Sis," moved to the Virgin Islands in 1962 to build Shibui Hotel. "Sis" agreed to stay one year in the Virgin Islands during the construction of the hotel… .they were residents of St. Thomas for 30 years.
Mr. Crouse was born in Muncie. Indiana, July 15, 1922 and moved to South Florida in 1935 with his family.
He graduated as valedictorian from Redland High School near Homestead, Fl. in 1940. Giving up a scholarship to Princeton University, Mr. Crouse joined the U.S. Navy, serving four years during World War II in both the Atlantic and Pacific Theaters.
He married Eldith "Sis" Hampton at Silver Palm Methodist Church, Princeton. Fl. on Feb. 19, 1949, a church he helped to design and build.
Prior to moving to the Virgin Islands, Mr. Crouse designed and constructed custom homes, churches, commercial buildings, and the Sports Winter Quarters for the St. Louis Cardinals, on the South Florida mainland and on the Florida Keys.
As an architect and building dontractor, he was president of Crouse-Hampton Inc. for 30 years.
On St. Thomas, Crouse built over 250 custom homes, hotels, commercial buildings, and restored several historic buildings. Some of his many accomplishments were featured in Homes Magazine, Architectural Digest, and featured at the National Home Builders Conventions. Mr. Crouse was a past member of the Board of Directors of Antilles School, St. Thomas Yacht Club, a founding member of the V.1. Game Fishing Club, and he was awarded "Citizen of the Year" by the St. Thomas Board of Realtors in 1990.
He was also a member of the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Fl.
The Crouses retired to Pompano Beach, Florida in 1991 and traveled extensively throughout the world. He is survived by his wife, "Sis," of 51 years of Pompano Beach, son, Larry Crouse of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands; daughter, Toni Babbitz, son-in-law, Robert Babbitz, and granddaughter, Jessica Babbitz of Chevy Chase, Maryland; sister-in-law, Pauline Crouse of Muncie, Indiana; and bother-and sister-in-law, Harry "Bud" and Mary Lou Hampton of Homestead, Fl.
Services will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, April 6, at Forest Lawn Memorial Chapel, 200 W. Copans Road, Pompano Beach, Fl.