Stephen Douglas Crouch

Stephen Douglas Crouch

October 21, 1936 – January 14, 2024

Stephen D. Crouch passed away peacefully in his sleep at home in Portland on January 14, 2024. He was born in San Diego where his father was stationed in the Navy. After a time in Florida, the family moved to Oregon. Steve graduated from North Salem High School in 1955 and then studied at Oregon State before joining the Oregon Department of Transportation as a civil engineer. He married JoAnne (Jodie) DeZort in 1960 and together they shared 63 years.

Steve’s career with ODOT took him from Salem to Roseburg and eventually to Portland where he joined Tri-Met as a project manager on the original downtown Portland light rail line. He was a lover of opera and the symphony, craft beer and all things mechanical, especially cameras, bicycles and British sports cars and motorcycles. He participated in many rallies and races as a member of the Willamette Motor Club in the 1960’s and 1970’s. He later became a ham radio operator (NO7V) and, as a member of Porland Amateur Radio Club, helped coordinate communication for the Portland marathon for many years. Steve was the king of the quip, a constant note taker and never met a pocket flashlight, knife or multi-tool he didn’t love.

Following his retirement in 1995, Steve and Jodie hit the road in the RV, including 9 years as their full-time home. Fulfilling a promise made when marrying Jodie that she get to spend some time living in her native Montana, they spent parts of several years in Dillon, MT before returning to Portland. They enjoyed winters with RV communities in Tucson, Morro Bay and St. Petersburg as well as volunteering as camp hosts at BLM Yaquina Head, and in Dillon and Flathead Lake MT. They also took several trips to Europe visiting Italy, France, Austria, England and the Czech Repulbic.

Stephen is survived by his wife Jodie Crouch, daughter Lisa Giovannetti (Glen) and son Todd, two grandchildren, Eric and Gina, his sister Joyce Anicker, three nieces and a nephew, and two cats.

Steve believed in the power of volunteering so in lieu of flowers, please consider giving time in your community or making a donation to a local community effort of your choice.