Zelma Blanche Crouse, 89, of Clay City, died at 1:43 a.m. Sunday, March 9, 2008, at Flora Gardens Care Center in Flora.  Funeral services at Summers-Kistler Funeral Home with Pastor Jeremy Hostettler officiating. Burial in Smith Cemetery in rural Sailor Springs.

Mrs. Crouse was born September 11, 1918, in Ottawa, the daughter of Samuel W. and Mary C. (Montgomery) Frank. She married Carl D. Crouse on March 5, 1939, in St. Charles, Mo. He preceded her in death on February 2, 1992.

She was a homemaker and was a member of Sailor Springs Baptist Church.

Mrs. Crouse is survived by four sisters, Kathryn Milner, of Sun City, Calif., Faye Franklin and her husband, Nolan, of Flora, Inez "Deanne" Moseley, of Clay City, and Mary Hulsey, of Sailor Springs; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, brothers, Robert, Samuel Jr., Galen and Richard Frank, and sisters, Alberta Gumbel, Bonnie Gill and Shirley Schnautz.