ROSS, John W. 1895-1982

ROSS, ROALFS, WILLEMS

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 10/29/2012 at 19:34:10

John W. Ross, County Road Builder, Dies

Funeral services for John W. Ross were held Saturday, December 11 at 1:30 p.m. at the Second Christian Reformed Church.

Rev. John H. Elenbaas officiated at the services. Mrs. Harold Okones and Mrs. Ivan Slifer sang two duet numbers. Miss Monica Doyen was organist. Flower attendants were Mrs. Martin Ross and Mrs. Neil Knoll.

Pall bearers were Dick D. Huisman, Kenneth Ross, William P. Riekena, James Willems, Robert Willems and Neil Knoll.

The interment service was held at the Shiloh cemetery in Wellsburg.

Doyen Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

John W. Ross passed away Wednesday evening, December 8 at the Presbyterian Home in Ackley due to heart failure. He had been taken to the home on December 1st from the Eldora hospital where he had been confined since November 24th. He had submitted to major surgery on September 27th. He reached the age of 87 years and 28 days.

He was born on a farm in Shiloh township, northwest of Wellsburg, on November 10, 1895, the son of William A. and Geska (Roalfs) Ross, and received his early education in the rural school in the area. Later he attended the Highland Park College in Des Moines for a Mechanical Training Course.

On April 9, 1918, he was united in marriage to Lucy Willems at the parsonage of the East Friesland Presbyterian Church by the Rev. F. Engelke. Following their marriage they made their home in Wellsburg and lived there all their married life. Mrs. Ross passed away on January 22, 1981. This union was blessed with two daughters, Wilma King and Evelyn Purvis.

John was a long-time member of the Second Christian Reformed Church of Wellsburg, having made profession of faith on December 28, 1924. He served on the church consistory for 19 years, serving as a Deacon and an Elder, and also was a member of the Men's Volunteer Club.

He was engaged in the road Construction Business for over 35 years and also was in the implement business in Wellsburg for many years. Over 115 men were employed by him at various times during his years in the Road Construction Business.

Preceding him in death were his parents; his wife, Lucy; 2 sisters, Mrs. Tatje Huisman and Mrs. Grace Riekena; 5 brothers, Albert W. Ross, Rieke W. Ross, Henry W. Ross, Claus W. Ross and Will W. Ross.

Those left to mourn his passing are: his two daughters, Mrs. Wilma King of Cedar Rapids and Mrs. Donald (Evelyn) Purvis of Wellsburg; 7 grandchildren: Linda Schmidt of Richmond, VA; Bonnie Bucholtz of Kingsville, TX; Jim Purvis of Tulsa, OK; Dean Purvis of Ft. Myers, FL; Jean Purvis of Iowa City; Katherine Anderson of Topeka, KS; Karen King of Cedar Rapids; also 5 great-grandchildren and many other relatives and friends.

--The Grundy Register/Wellsburg Herald (Grundy Center, Iowa), 16 December 1982, section 2, pg 1