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August 14, 2010

Hearts for service

Couple honored for years of love and purpose

Mary Beth Scallon Jacksonville Daily Progress

JACKSONVILLE — “For everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under Heaven.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1



For Doug and Dreama Crouch, this verse from the Bible speaks volumes about the life they have led together for 40 years.

Formerly the owner/manager of Discount City along with his dad, Ralph Crouch, Doug Crouch has been prominent in Jacksonville community events, donating to and sponsoring many causes, such as Project Graduation and the Jacksonville Rodeo.  

In 2008, he was honored at Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce’s annual banquet as the Man of the Year, recognizing him for his community involvement and for his service as a past chamber president.

For more than 30 years, Doug has been instrumental in leading and organizing Boy Scouts, serving as Scoutmaster of Troop 403, which is sponsored by Central Baptist Church.

Jonathan Clark, a former Jacksonville High School student who recently graduated from Stephen F. Austin University and who is now working as a high school coach in Houston, remembers the year or two he was in Doug’s Scout pack.

Jonathan laughed as a he recalled an incident that occurred on an outing with Doug.

“I remember going on a (Scout) camping trip with Mr. Crouch, “ Clark said. “I put a paper cup on a stick and stuck it in the fire, and Mr. Crouch said, ‘Jonathan, what goes in the fire stays in the fire.’”

Tam Clark, Jonathan’s mother, said she remembers and appreciates the character that Doug helped to instill in her son. She remembers his first camp out with the troop.

“I packed everything for him, including several changes of clothes. Mr. Crouch told him to take it back and pack it himself; he wasn’t supposed to need any help.

“If it were not for Doug and Scouts, I don’t know if I ever would have let Jonathan grow up,” Tam said.

Bryce Chilton is another young man who benefited from his time in Scouts with Crouch.  He said it was a good experience.

“He’s a good leader and teacher, and taught me a lot,” Bryce said.

Doug has also coached soccer for many years. In fact, he coached all his kids, and is now coaching his grandkids.

Dreama has served as church hostess at Central Baptist Church for many years, cooking meals on Wednesday nights for the church’s midweek supper, as well as organizing and preparing numerous events for church fellowships.

With four children of their own, the couple has also played a parenting role over the years to several children in the extended family, as well.

Their children, now grown, have families of their own and have made their own marks in the world.

Kim has two children and is a teacher at JHS.  Shannon is a homemaker, living in Forney with her husband, Brent, and their three boys.

Josh has two children and he is also a high school teacher, and Chris is an actor based in New York City.

To many, the Crouches have served as friends and mentors.  Catherine Clark, Jonathan’s sister and a nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit at Baylor Medical Center in Dallas, said she became friends with Dreama as a freshman away at Baylor.

“She and Mr. Crouch taught me in Sunday School my senior year,” Catherine said. “When I went to Baylor, we started e-mailing back and forth.  She was a real encouragement while I was away at school.

“We still call and visit. Whenever I am in town, I try to see her. When I was home in July, I went by to talk to her.  We have a real friendship.  I call her my mentor, but she just laughs when I say that.”

Central Baptist Church has a large singles ministry, and Jackie Spraggins, minister to singles, said she is grateful to the Crouches for sharing their home twice a month for Bible Study.

“Doug  leads our Bible Study and has done so for several years,” Jackie said. “In fact, he’s done so for at least seven years, as long as we (the church body) have been in the new church building.

“The singles look to him as an example for a godly, spiritual leader of the home. “

A former chairman of the deacons at Central Baptist Church, Doug currently teaches an Adult III class at the church.

For every season in their lives, at least over the last 40 years, the Crouches have found ways to make their lives have purpose, in ways that have affected countless individuals.

The Crouches were honored Aug. 1 with a celebration of their 40th anniversary.

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