Eugene "Gene" Ross

Eugene "Gene" Ross, 81, of Boynton, Oklahoma, went to be with the Lord on January 12, 2008.  He was born March 28, 1926 to Carl J. and Vada E. Ross in Micawber, Oklahoma.  Gene spent his younger years in the Micawber area graduating from Paden High School in 1944.  He served in the Navy during WWII on USS Savo Island-Escort Carrier (CVE 76) through 1946.  He married Mary Odelene Johnston of Tuskegee, Oklahoma on October 9, 1948.  Gene taught agriculture to veterans at Mason, Oklahoma from 1948-1957.  While working as a rancher from 1957-1960 at the Flying W. Ranch in Tuskegee, he completed a B.S. in Agriculture Education at Oklahoma State University.  In 1967, he completed his Masters of Agriculture at OSU.  He taught high school agriculture from 1960 to 1983 at Boynton, Jenks, Oktaha and Bixby.  He lived the next 24 years on his ranch in Boynton, Oklahoma.  He and Mary were married nearly 60 years and shared a wonderful life.  Gene loved his family, his farm, his friends and his church.  He was a song leader and Sunday school teacher for many years at the churches he attended.  During his last 24 years he led songs at Grace Living Center in Muskogee on Monday nights.  Gene was preceded in death by his parents Carl J. Ross and Vida E. Burleson Ross.  He is survived by his wife, Mary, his sister, Kathryn Ross Keys and her husband, Jerry of Oologah, Oklahoma, his children, Marilyn J. Ross Herriman and her husband, Allen and Jerold Don Ross and his wife, Lesa, all of Boynton, Oklahoma.  His four grandchildren, Malia Herriman Webb and her husband Rocky, Melinda Herriman Foutch and her husband Blake, all of Haskell, Oklahoma, Donovan Ross of Springfield, Missouri and Dustin Ross of Tulsa, Oklahoma and one-great grandchild, Rowdy D. Webb.

Funeral services will be held at the First Assembly of God Church in Okmulgee, 301 N. Seminole, on Tuesday, January 15, 2007 at 2:00 P.M. under the direction of the McClendon-Winters Funeral Home of Okmulgee.  Graveside services will be held immediately after at the Highland Cemetery in Okemah.  The family will receive friends from 5-7 P.M. on Monday at the funeral home.  Pallbearers will be Rocky Webb II, Blake Foutch, Dustin Ross, Donovan Ross, Ted Keys and Mark Keys.

A memorial fund has been established for Oklahoma Victory Transformation Center.  Memorials may be sent to Morris State Bank, PO Box 70, Morris, Oklahoma 74445.  Please make checks payable to Eugene Ross Memorial Fund.  Oklahoma Victory Transformation Ceneter is a 501C(3) faith-based facility providing a residential discipleship program designed to help women who have or at risk of having criminals encounters.