The Reverend Dr. Jacob Harry Crout

COLUMBIA - 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 2017.

He served as Executive Director for Lutheran Social Ministry Agency of Greater Columbia, SC assisting congregations in becoming sensitive and responsive to community needs and coordinated their efforts in these areas. He directed summer youth camps for disadvantaged children sponsored by SC Lutheran Synod with the assistance of The Rev. Dr. Edward L. Counts. 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 was a member of 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 the Chaplain of Civitan International and 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.

He began his ministry at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Pomaria, SC. He served as Associate Pastor of Ebenezer Lutheran Church and later as Senior Pastor from 1991 until 2001. After retirement, he served as Interim Pastor for Silverstreet Lutheran Church in Silverstreet, SC.

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, John Kevin Crout (deceased); son, David Harry Crout and his wife, Carolyn McBride Crout; grandchildren, Townsend Crout Lloyd, her husband, Frank Lloyd, and Alden Elizabeth Crout; twin brother, James Harold Crout Sr. (Charlotte Owing Crout, deceased); brothers, Oris Elzie Crout (Katherine Crout, deceased), Frank Crout (deceased) and Carthel Crout Sr. (deceased) (Edna Crout, deceased); sister, Evelyn Crout Bociek (deceased) (Dr. Stanley Bociek, deceased); nieces, Patricia Crout Quinn, Mary Crout Greggs and Grace Crout Lunsford; and nephews, James Harold Crout, Jr., William Crout, Carthel Crout Jr., and Stan Crout (deceased).

Memorials may be made to Ebenezer Lutheran Church – Living Stones Legacy Fund, 1301 Richland St, Columbia, SC 29201.

Memories may be shared at www.dunbarfunerals.com.