Obituary of Carroll William Crouse

CROUSE, Carroll William – Age 86, of Berwick, formerly of Cherryfield, Annapolis Co., passed away on Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Fundy Villa, Berwick, where he had been residing. Born in Cherryfield in the family home, he was a son of the late Doran Dean Llewellyn and Sadie Agnes (Sarty) Crouse.

Carroll had an inquisitive mind as a young child. In his grade 9 science class, he became intrigued with the chapter on “Sound”, so much to the extent that he neglected other studies to indulge deeper into how sound was created but more so, how it was recorded. At the age of 14, together with his sister at the age of 11, he turned the family gramophone into a personal recording device. Attaching a washing machine hose and a vacuum hose to the gramophone’s horn, he and his sister singing loudly into their respective mouthpieces, he engineered a way for the needle to etch their voices onto a homemade cardboard disk covered in wax. That song is still played today as it has been transferred onto modern technology, a CD. This was not only the beginning of Carroll’s love for music but also his passion for recording every event he attended for his personal use.

Carroll’s love of music developed when he started to listen to records of The Carter Family. Voice and guitar, he learned much of Maybelle Carter’s style. Carroll said, “Wilf Carter taught me how to yodel, but he doesn’t know that”. Carroll loved to play music and entertain while dealing with a personal battle of shyness. Carroll overcame that shyness by studying and learning many programs like the Dale Carnegie course.

During his childhood, he battled with his education while attending one room schools. Having been pushed through three senior grades in less than two years, he attributes much of his confusion today to the overwhelming task of learning his schooling. Despite the roadblocks during his learning in school and his shyness, Carroll knew from a young age, he wanted to be a schoolteacher. Although discouraged from the lack of support from his peers, Carroll went on to teach two years in the Stanburne school even before taking any formal teaching education. He then enrolled in Normal College and graduated returning to his Annapolis County roots, teaching at the Dalhousie Road school for a year. Carroll then decided to take a one-year teaching opportunity at the Maplewood school but was then offered a position at the East Dalhousie school where he taught for five years. When the superintendent of school decided to close that school, he applied for a teaching position at New Germany Elementary School under principal, Lillian Auldhouse. Carroll was immediately made the school pianist and spent the remainder of his 26 years of teaching in the grade five classroom. One of Carroll’s favorite courses to teach was penmanship for which he was most proud of and as of recently still took notice of his own penmanship as well as the writing skills of others.

Carroll’s love of music afforded him to excel at playing piano, organs of every style including reed, pump and pipe organs, ukulele, autoharp, acoustic and bass guitar and banjo, many of which he provided private lessons to many children and adults. Carroll was a member of many community groups and organizations, including the Lunenburg County Fiddler’s group, the former New Germany and Area Men’s Choir, the former Bridgewater Oratorio Society known today as South Shore Choral and the Harmonaires, which included his sister Julia, Roy Wright and Allison Lutz. Carroll also enjoyed attending many jam sessions wherever possible. Carroll was also a member of the former Rosedale New Horizons Seniors Club, New Germany and the Retired Teachers Association.

Surviving is his sister, Julia Wright, Berwick; nieces, Angela (James) Brennan, Melanie (Douglas) Haverstock; nephew, Jonathan Wright, great nephew, James Haverstock.

He was predeceased by his parents, Doran and Sadie (Sarty) Crouse.

There will be no visitation at the funeral home by request. Funeral service will be held 1 p.m., Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Springfield Baptist Church, Springfield, Rev. Robert Gates officiating. Family flowers only, donations may be made to a charity of choice. Interment to follow in East Dalhousie Baptist Cemetery, East Dalhousie. Arrangements entrusted to Sweeny’s Funeral Home, #4895 Highway 10, New Germany, where on-line condolences and messages may be made by visiting www.sweenysfuneralhome.com.