Hobart A. Ross (1984)

ROSS

Posted By: Treva Patterson (email)
Date: 10/10/2007 at 14:11:57

Winterset Madisonian-Winterset, Iowa
April 11, 1984

Hobart A. Ross, Des Moines

Hobart A. Ross, 87, Des Moines, a former Winterset resident who founded United Food Markets, Inc. in Indianola and Winterset in 1923 as one of the first "self service" grocery stores, died March 21 at the Scottish Rite Park of complications from a stroke. The body was cremated and no services were held.

Mr. Ross was born in Little Rock, Iowa and lived in Indianola and Winterset before moving to Des Moines in 1928.

Through the United Food Markets Foundation, he established heart care center in Iowa at Iowa Methodist Medical Center. He served as a food consultant for the Army during World War II and was also a consultant with the Office of Price Administration in Washington, D. C. He developed two resorts on Lake Okoboji-Manhattan Cottages in 1933 and Vacation Village in 1949.

Mr. Ross was instrumental in founding the YMCA Boys Home at Johnston in 1943. He not only provided the seed money for the project but also set up an endowment trust to ensure its continued operation.

Survivors include son, Robert and Keith, both of Spirit Lake; a daughter, Judy Ross of Florida; seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

His wife Alta died March 29. She was also a resident of the Scottish Rite Park.