Bill Crouch, senior pastor of First United Methodist Church in Denton from 1977 to 1991, died early Friday morning at Denton Regional Medical Center. He was 75.

Bill Crouch

Considered a leader among churchmen, Crouch’s expertise was tapped twice by bishops, once in the 1970s and again in the 1990s, to serve as a district superintendent. He himself was nominated as a candidate for bishop in 1996.

Crouch returned to Denton to serve as an associate pastor of First United Method­ist Church from 1999 until early 2006.

Most recently, he was a consultant to the Texas Methodist Foundation, which supports pastors and churches in capital development projects and other programs.

Fellow Associate Pastor Andy Stoker, who supervises Christian education at the Denton church, said Crouch had a gift for helping ministers be their best.

“He was a different caliber of clergyperson,” Stoker said. “He knew exactly when to pull me aside and say something or let me go and discover things for myself.”

Crouch received a bachelor of arts degree from Southern Methodist University and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in theology from Drew University. He received his doctorate in ministry from the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas in 1976.

When Crouch first moved his family from Dallas to Denton to become the senior pastor, his son, Tim, a partner in a local public relations firm, was in college.

Crouch fell in love with Denton and regularly sent his son bits of information about the city, “chamber of commerce-type propaganda,” Tim Crouch said. “I was won over. I wanted to be a part of it.”

Bill Crouch served on the city’s Human Services Committee, which reviews funding requests by nonprofit groups that help low-income residents and makes grant recommendations to the City Council. He also served on the United Way board and was a member and former president of the Denton Rotary Club.

Bill Crouch’s last public appearance was attending the final concert with Anshel Brusilow conducting the University of North Texas Symphony Orchestra. Crouch and his wife, Debby, were excited to learn of a $1 million challenge grant designed to raise scholarship funds in Brusilow’s name, Tim Crouch said.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that memorials be made to the Anshel Brusilow Chair of Orchestral Studies challenge grant, to the First United Methodist Church in Denton and to the Denton Rotary Club.

A memorial celebration service will be held 10 a.m. Tuesday at First United Methodist. Visitation will be at 7 p.m. Monday at the church.

Crouch is survived by his wife, Debby; four children, Tim Crouch of Denton, the Rev. Mary Beth Hardesty-Crouch of Allen, Joel Crouch of Plano and Sarah Frerking of Springfield, Mo.; one brother, Bob Crouch of Silver Spring, Md.; and nine grandchildren.

PEGGY HEINKEL-WOLFE can be reached at 940-566-6881. Her e-mail address is pheinkel-wolfe@dentonrc.com .