A funeral service for The Reverend Dr. Jacob Harry Crout, 86, will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, January 22, 2023 at Ebenezer Lutheran Church, with burial in Elmwood Cemetery. There will also be a livestream of the service at www.ebenezerlutheran.org, click Livestream Now. The family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. Saturday, January 21, 2023, at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel.
Rev. Crout passed away on Monday, January 9, 2023. Born on September 23, 1936, he was a son of Elzie and Lottie Crout.
In 1959, he received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Furman University and his Master of Divinity Degree from the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in 1963. He received his Honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree from Newberry College in 1971.
He worked as Executive Director for Lutheran Social Ministry Agency of Greater Columbia, SC where he directed summer youth camp for disadvantaged children sponsored by SC Lutheran Synod. In 1972, he worked as Child Care Ministry Coordinator for South Carolina Synod of the Lutheran Church of America, assisting with the organization of the Ministry with the Deaf in the Columbia area. He took part in the Greater Columbia Forum Series from 1973 to 1974. For many years, he served in the Lutheran Church of America as a Regional Planning Consultation Representative #5 of the Lutheran Council in the USA in the area of Social Ministry and as Director for Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. He was also Secretary of Regional Planning Consultation on Social Ministry for Southeastern, SC, NC, and VA Synods of the Lutheran Church of America. He served as Vice President of Christian Action Council, serving the Greater Columbia area in specific finance and social issues.
Rev. Crout was also active in his community serving as President and Board of Directors for Columbia Day Care, Inc, President for Voluntary Action Center of Richland and Lexington Counties, President of South Carolina Literacy Association, and Secretary for the Advisory Committee of the Children’s Bureau of South Carolina. Rev. Crout was also a Chaplain of Civitan International who received the Civitan District Honor Key, the highest award of Civitan in South Carolina. He was a partner with Carswell and Associates: Team Building for the Nuclear Division of Pennsylvania Power and Light Company.
Throughout the years, he served as Supply Pastor at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Vice Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church, Pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Intern and Student Assistant at Reformation Lutheran Church, and at Faith Lutheran Church during his first year in Seminary. In 1991, he became the Associate Pastor of Ebenezer Lutheran Church and later as Senior Pastor from 1991 until 2001. His last official ministry was as Interim Pastor for Silverstreet Lutheran Church, and it was one of his most meaningful ministries.
His lifelong interest in golf was encouraged by Dr. Stanley Bociek and his sister, Evelyn Crout Bociek, which earned him two witnessed “holes in one!” He enjoyed working with his Furman friend, Walter Kneece, in sponsoring benefit golf tournaments for Furman University. For 50 plus years, he played golf with Tom Foy and C.E. Steele at Forest Lake Club.
Surviving are his wife, Joyce Lord Crout; son, David H. Crout and his wife, Carolyn McBride Crout; son, John K. Crout (deceased); grandchildren, Townsend Carolyn Crout and Alden Elizabeth Crout; twin brother, James Harold Crout and his wife, Charlotte Owing Crout; brothers, Oris Elzie Crout, Carthel Crout (deceased), and Frank Crout (deceased); nieces, Patricia Evelyn Crout, Mary Crout Griggs and Grace Lunsford; and nephews, James Harold Crout, Jr., Bill Crout, Carthel Crout, and Stan Crout (deceased).
Memorials may be made to Ebenezer Lutheran Church – Living Stones Legacy Fund, 1301 Richland St, Columbia, SC 29201.
