Sallie Elizabeth Crouse
Sept. 18, 1930 — Feb. 27, 2011
MONTROSE — Sallie Elizabeth (Johnson) Crouse, age 80, was born on Sept. 18, 1930, in Bolivar, Mo. to Guy Melvin Johnson and Grace Irene Kuhlman. Sallie spent her early years between Bolivar, Mo. and Ventura, Calif. Sallie graduated from Oxnard Union High School in 1948 and obtained an associate degree in 1950 from Ventura Junior College. In 1948, Sallie met the love of her life and best friend, Harold James (Jim) Crouse, Jr., when he was in the United States Navy, stationed in Port Hueneme, Calif. Their first date was to see the movie, “Gone With The Wind.” Sallie and Jim were married on Oct. 14, 1950, at the First Baptist Church in Ventura, Calif. In 1952, when residing in the Oxnard-Ventura area in California, Sallie and Jim were blessed with one daughter, Mary Beth. In 1958, Sallie’s husband, Jim, accepted a job with the Montrose Daily Press and the family moved to Montrose. Sallie went to work for the then Montrose National Bank until 1965 when her second daughter, Irish Colleen, was born. It was after Irish’s birth that Sallie found her real calling in life, to become a supporting wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was known affectionately as ‘Gran’ to her grandchildren, great-grandchild and the neighborhood children, and it was then that Sallie found her real passion for life.
Sallie was an only biological child. However, shortly after her marriage to her husband, Jim, Sallie’s parents, Guy and Grace Johnson, adopted Jim’s biological siblings to become Sallie’s adopted brother and sisters. As a result, Sallie and her husband, Jim, shared the same brothers and sisters.
Sallie enjoyed traveling, especially to Las Vegas, visiting her family and working in her yard. On Aug. 4, 1997, Sallie lost Jim, but still enjoyed traveling to Las Vegas and staying in their room at the Union Plaza in search of that big jackpot. Sallie passed away on Feb. 27, 2011, after a lengthy illness in Durango. She will be missed by all who loved and knew her.
Sallie is survived by her daughter, Mary Beth (Crouse) Erickson and her husband, Dennis, of Montrose and their children, Addie Mellissa (Erickson) Muransky and her husband, Christopher, and their son, Cameron James Muransky of Colorado Springs and Lars Adam Erickson of Montrose; her daughter, Irish Colleen (Crouse) and her husband, Keith Correira, of Durango, Colo. and their son, Derek James Correira of Lakewood, Colo; her sister, Carol Ann (Johnson) Short of Indiana and her three children, Greg Short of Durango, Lori Warren and Lisa Short of Indiana; her sister, June Janice (Johnson) Scheiffer of Texas and her daughters, Cindy and Elizabeth; her brother, Richard Samuel (Crouse) Johnson; and her very closest friend and neighbor, Millie Pavlich. A memorial service to celebrate Sallie’s life will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, March 10, 2011, at Crippin Funeral Home Chapel, with Pastor Paul Nystrom officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Crippin Funeral Home, 802 E. Main St., Montrose, CO 81401 (970) 249-2121.
