Marvin Ross

Marvin Gene Ross
March 1, 1928 March 30, 2013

Marvin Gene Ross, 85, died March 30th at home in Loveland, Colorado.

Gene was born March 1, 1928 in Shawnee, Oklahoma to Neely Ross and Ida Mae McConnell Ross. He graduated from Shawnee High School in 1946 and Oklahoma State University then Oklahoma AM in 1950 with a degree in education and an ROTC commission as a second lieutenant in the Air Force Reserve. It was at college in Stillwater, Oklahoma that he met his future wife, Camille Thornburg. They married on February 1, 1950, and had three children. They lived in Oklahoma, Texas, South Carolina and Wyoming before moving to Loveland in 1966, where they both had long teaching careers with the Thompson School District.

Gene taught junior high science and coached football, basketball and track in Walters, Oklahoma and Dennison, Texas before the Air Force activated his unit in 1953. He served as an aircraft maintenance officer with the 63rd Troop Carrier Wing and was promoted to first lieutenant when the Wing was moved to Donaldson Air Force Base in Greenville, South Carolina.

After his military service, he earned a masters degree in education at East Texas State Teachers College now Texas AM UniversityCommerce in 1957 and taught and coached at high schools in Sulphur Springs, Texas and Tulsa, Oklahoma. He briefly left teaching for a position with the Milwhite Mud Sales Company, working in oil production in Wyoming. He was soon back teaching and coaching at the junior high school in Rock Springs, Wyoming, and the family moved to Loveland in 1966, where he taught and coached at Bill Reed Junior High and Conrad Ball Middle School for 22 years until his retirement in 1988.

A lifelong athlete, Gene was inducted into the Shawnee High School Football Hall of Fame in 1996. He received a football scholarship and played all four years of college, and he remained a devoted fan of OSU athletics. He traveled to Oklahoma frequently for elementary, high school and college alumnae events. After he retired, he took up golf and crosscountry skiing. He played the Olde Course at Loveland behind his home, frequently twice a day, and enjoyed riding his motorcycle until health problems intervened last year.

Gene was a member of All Saints Episcopal Church in Loveland. He was a Mason for 48 years, beginning in Rock Springs, Wyoming. He served as Worshipful Master and many other positions for the Loveland Masonic Lodge and the Longs Peak Lodge, being especially dedicated to the scholarship committee. He also enjoyed visiting family, cooking and gardening.

Gene was preceded in death by his wife, parents, two brothers and a sister. He is survived by daughters Cathy Linn Gene of Fruita, Colorado and Nancy Ross of Brighton, Colorado son David Ross of Simi Valley, California grandchildren Amy Bergen Matt, Julie Read Will, Sarah Poloske, Rebecca Poloske, Veronica Ross and William Ross brotherinlaw James Hollis of Shawnee and many other family members and friends.

Funeral services will be held at All Saints Episcopal Church in Loveland on Friday, April 5th at 2:00 p.m. Graveside services and burial will be held at the Fairfax Cemetery, 600 S. 8th Street, in Fairfax, Oklahoma on Monday, April 8th at 2:00 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to the Longs Peak Masonic Lodge Scholarship Fund, 1151 Eagle Drive 175, Loveland, CO 80537 or Pathways Hospice, 305 Carpenter Road, Fort Collins, CO 80525.

Arrangements for the graveside committal are under the direction of the HunsakerWooten Funeral Home in Fairfax.