CROUSE, Kenneth 1946-1961

CROUSE, DUNCAN

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 2/10/2015 at 21:46:05

Kenneth Crouse Dies Of Injury In Beaman-Conrad Football Game

Kenneth Crouse, 15-year-old Beaman-Conrad football player, died Wednesday night in a Des Moines hospital of a brain injury received in a freshman-sophomore game 48 hours earlier.

An autopsy showed death was caused by a brain hemorrhage.

Compounding the tragedy was the fact that the boy's mother had just returned from the hospital where she had been under treatment for a heart ailment.

Young Crouse, son of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Crouse, was injured Monday night while making a tackle during the first quarter of a reserve game with LeGrand-Dunbar-Ferguson.

Crouse tackled an L-D-F ball carrier on a running attempt to score a point after touchdown, then remained on the ground in stunned condition after the play.

James Marsh, Beaman-Conrad coach, said Crouse was struck in the head above the right temple by the knee of the L-D-F player he tackled.

Warren King, one of the game officials, said it did not appear Crouse's tackle was particularly vicious, and was surprised that the youth had been injured.

But when he noticed Crouse was having difficulty breathing, King summoned the Beaman-Conrad coach. Smelling salts did not revive the youth, and he was removed to the locker room.

The 6-foot, 160-pound halfback lost consciousness a few minutes later, and remained in a coma until he died at 9:45 p.m. Wednesday.

Kenneth was taken to a physician in Gladbrook, then to a Marshalltown hospital for emergency treatment, and finally to the Des Moines hospital. Brian surgery was performed immediately, but even then doctors gave the boy only a 50-50 chance of survival.

Crouse was wearing a helmet that was about two years old, although it was not of the suspension type generally preferred as giving maximum protection. In fact, he had been issued two helmets--one the suspension type--but he was wearing the other type when injured.

The death of young Crouse was a severe blow to the Beaman-Conrad community, the school, his classmates and friends.

He was a popular boy in school, a promising athlete in both football and basketball, and active in both church and school affairs.

Amid the sadness that followed the boy's death, a delegation from the football team called at the Crouse home on Thursday, and were told by Mr. Crouse that the death of his son should not interfere with the football program at the school.

The elder Crouse, a retired farmer who works as an attendant in a Conrad gas station, told the team to go ahead and play the game as Kennedy would have wanted.

Thursday night the school board met and decided that Beaman-Conrad's game with Hubbard Friday be played as scheduled. It was Hubbard's homecoming.

Then on Saturday afternoon the team--who had played their hearts out Friday night to "win this one for Kenny"--joined the community in attending the funeral in the Conrad Methodist Church.

Survivors include his parents and one sister, Mrs. Sharon Davis of Atherton, Calif.; also his maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Duncan of Conrad.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 19 October 1961, pg 1

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Methodist Church Crowded Saturday For Crouse Rites

The Conrad Methodist Church was filled to capacity Saturday for the funeral service for Kenneth Crouse, 15, who died last Wednesday in Iowa Methodist Hospital, Des Moines.

Family, friends and school chums of young Crouse, as well as relatives, crowded the church to pay last respects to the boy.

Rev. R. O. Grote officiated at the service. Burial was in Conrad cemetery.

Special music was provided by Russell Kruse, C. D. Wilson Jr. and David Wilson. Miss Evelyn Stevens was organist.

Casket bearers were Supt. H. P. Graeber, coaches James Marsh and Dale DeVault, principal James Sackett, Dr. J. E. Ober and Gerald Ralston.

Honorary casket bearers were William Damon, Richard Talbot, Jerold Ernst, Chris DenOuden, Don Fleming, Harold Selby, Bruce Altenheim and Berlyn Frohling.

Flower attendants were Miss Rosalie Bueghly and Miss Beverly Walter.

Kenneth Duncan Crouse was born February 6, 1946 at Conrad son of Raymond and Wanda Crouse.

He attended the Conrad schools, where he was an outstanding student and active in many school affairs. He also was a member of the Conrad Methodist Church and was active in its teenage groups, both Sunday School and MYF.

Surviving are his parents, a sister, Mrs. Karen Davis, San Jose, California, and his maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Duncan of Conrad.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 19 October 1961, pg 20