OBITUARY

Richard Gross

KEWANEE -- Richard A. "Dick" Gross, 61, of Kewanee died at 10:15 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 2, 2004, after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer, at his home.

Born Dec. 24, 1942, in Princeton to Fred and Cleona (Pierson) Gross, he married Barbara Johnson June 13, 1964, in Princeton. She survives.

He graduated from Princeton High School in 1961 and attended Northern Illinois University. He worked for GTE for 32 years as a service technician and then an outside plant engineer.

He was a member of the Zion Lutheran Church in Kewanee and the U.S. Trotting Association. He was a volunteer coach in Kewanee for Little League, flag football and elementary basketball. He trained pacers for many years in the Kewanee area and raced them in fairs and in Chicago.

Also surviving are his mother of Princeton; one son, Allen (Melanie) Gross of Overland Park, Kan.; one daughter, Robin (Jim) Stuart of Galesburg; three brothers, Don (Sherry) Gross of Rapid City, Gary (Joy) Gross of Cloverdale, Calif., and Gale Gross of Batavia; one sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Sandy (Gordon) Vickery of Kewanee; four grandchildren, Madison and Ethan Gross, and Morgan and Lindsey Stuart; and several nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his father in 1999; his grandparents; and aunts and uncles.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday in the Zion Lutheran Church, Kewanee, with the Rev. Susan Kent officiating. Burial will be in Pleasant View Cemetery, Kewanee.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday in the Rux Funeral Home, Kewanee, and one hour prior to the services Monday in the church.

Memorials may be directed to PanCan, the Zion Lutheran Church or Kewanee Hospital Hospice. (Bureau County Republican, Dec.5, 2004, submitted by Janine Crandell)