Gale K. Crouse Obituary

Gale K. Crouse

Gale Kent Crouse of Eau Claire, WI died on Friday, December 7, 2007 at Dove Health Care Center after a two and a half year battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease).

Gale was born on September 1, 1941, in Olney, Illinois, the son of Harbin and Delphine Crouse. He spent his childhood years living in the small farming community of Bogota, Illinois. He graduated from Newton High School in Newton, Illinois in 1959, and attended Eastern Illinois University where he received a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1963. He taught high school English from 1963-64 at Rich Township High School in Park Forest, Illinois, after which he enrolled in graduate studies in French at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. After receiving his Masters in French in 1967, he served as an Instructor of French for 3 years at San Diego State University. In 1968, he married Ruth Hock. He and Ruth returned to Madison in 1970 so that he could complete his Ph.D., which he received in 1974. He worked as a professor of French at the University of South Dakota (USD) in Vermillion, South Dakota from 1973-1987, and served as chair of the USD Department of Foreign Languages from 1974-1984. In 1987, he moved with his family to Eau Claire. He worked as a professor of French at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire (UWEC) from 1987 until 2005, when he was forced to retire due to his illness. He also served as chair of the UWEC Department of Foreign Languages from 1987-1998. During his career, he was a member and leader in several organizations dedicated to the teaching of foreign languages, including the Wisconsin Association of Foreign Language Teachers (WAFLT), Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, the American Council on Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), the UW-System French Placement Test Committee, and the American Association of Teachers of French. He won a number of awards for his teaching and service, including the 2007 Founders Award from the Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, the WAFLT Wisconsin Distinguished Foreign Language Educator Award, and the USD Student Association Outstanding Teaching Award.

His studies and career allowed him many opportunities to fulfill his love of traveling. He worked as an English Assistant at the École Normale d'instituteurs in Châteauroux, France during the 1965-66 academic year. He and his family lived in Valence-Sur-Baïez, France for the 1980-81 academic year while he taught English at a local high school, and he spent several semesters leading the UW-Eau Claire study-abroad program in Toulon, France. He also traveled to France, Mexico, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Korea to facilitate study abroad exchanges between UWEC and foreign universities and to give presentations on the teaching of English.

In his free time, he enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, working out at the YMCA, matting and framing pictures, doing cross-word puzzles, watching movies, listening to music, eating good food, playing the piano, going to the theater, and even acting in a few Chippewa Valley Theater Guild productions. Those who knew Gale will remember him for his dry wit, his love of his family, friends and students, and his passion for languages and learning.

He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Ruth Crouse; his mother, Delphine Crouse; his children, Andrew, Abigail (Jonathan Schroeder) and Caroline (Josh Leopold) Crouse, his three grandchildren, Dylan and Garrett Crouse and Ellen Schroeder, his brother, Glen (Sue) Crouse, and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, colleagues, students and friends. He is preceded in death by his father, Harbin Crouse, his parents-in-law, Ben and Dorothy Hock, and his grandparents, Murvil and Ella Pearl Smith and Tracy and Ada Crouse.

Gale and his family would like to thank the staff of Northwest Wisconsin Homecare and Hospice, Dove Health Care Center, and members and staff of the Northwest Wisconsin ALS Support Group for their excellent care and support during the final months of his illness.

Memorial Services will be held on Wednesday, December 12, 2007 at First Congregational Church of Christ in Eau Claire at 11 a.m with Rev. Dr. Mark X. Pirazzini officiating. Friends may call at Fuller-Speckien-Hulke Funeral Home on Tuesday evening from 4 - 7 p.m. and again at church one hour prior to services.

In lieu of flowers, please send memorials to the Gale K. Crouse Scholarship Fund, University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire Foundation, 105 Garfield Avenue, P.O. Box 4004, Eau Claire, WI 54702. The scholarship will fund an annual award to an outstanding UW-Eau Claire student wishing to complete a project involving him or her in a humanitarian cause in a French or Francophone environment. Memorials could also be sent to the Northwest Wisconsin ALS Support Group, 474 Dakota Street South, Prescott, WI 54021.

Friends may offer condolences online at www.fullerspeckien.com.

Fuller Speckien Hulke Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements.