Phyllis Virginia Crouch was a woman of faith, an avid gardener, a zealous reader, a lover of all things purple, and she absolutely adored children. She was a proud mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She is survived by six of her children: Robert, Cheryl, Phillip, Bruce, Mike, and Matt and their spouses; nine grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; by her sister, Karen Dilorenzo, and her sister-in-law, Ethel Maude Nall. She is preceded in death by her husband, Robert Crouch; her daughters, Phyllis Ruth Crouch and Catherine Jackson; her siblings Beverly, Carol, Katherine, and Charles; and her brother-in-law, Sherman Crouch.
Born in Jamestown, ND on January 22, 1934, Phyllis had a challenging childhood and helped to raise her younger siblings. Although a difficult time, it formed her into the resilient woman she became. She met Bob during her high school years and they married on December 27, 1952. Phyllis mostly stayed at home to care for their eight children. She sewed almost all of their clothes by hand. She canned everything, even watermelon rinds, and grew much of the food they would eat in her extensive garden. An extremely frugal woman, she knew how to live within their means, but after the kids were grown, she was grateful to cook less and eat out more.
After they had moved to Buffalo, OK, she worked in administration for the state until her retirement. During this time, she and Bob enjoyed traveling throughout the US, often by train. This was a particularly favorite time for her: an opportunity to see the beauty and variety of the world in comfort.
She was active at First Baptist Church of Buffalo, loved her Bible study, and enjoyed her friends and great company at the Red Hat Society. She was very particular about what she wore and often donned pearls and formal hats. She loved purple much more than the average person. And she made dozens of quilts and crocheted countless items for her family and friends over the years. And who could forget her love of shrimp and obsession with Pepsi.
In 2015, Bob’s health declined and she remained dedicated to his care. They celebrated 66 years together before he passed on January 9, 2017. Her final years were spent in the care of her son, Matt, and her daughter, Cheryl. She enjoyed frequent visits from many of her loving grandchildren, but it was whenever her great-grandchildren entered the room that she would light up with pure joy.
Phyllis passed on March 12, 2022 in Hillsboro, TX from malignant melanoma. She was surrounded by her daughter and son-in-law, Cheryl and Mike, and all of Cheryl’s children and grandchildren. After they said goodbye and as they began to pray over her, Phyllis passed peacefully from this life and into the next.