Obit of Ross, Kenneth DWain (r200) - Texas County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Gene Phillips 22 Jul 2004 Return to Texas County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/texas/texas.html ========================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ========================================================================== Bakersfield Californian Kenneth DWain Ross Services: Thurs., June 21, 10 a.m. Thursday, June 21, the family and friends of Kenneth DWain Ross will gather at 10 a.m. at Greenlawn Memorial Chapel, 3700 River Blvd to commemorate his life. Ken was born on December 13, 1929 to John Clarence and Myrtis Ross in Texhoma, Oklahoma. He died June 16, 2001. Following graduation from Texas Tech University in 1954, he moved his family to Bakersfield in 1957. He entered the insurance business and this would be his career for 30 years. He was associated with Walter Mortensen Associates for most of his career. In his 71 years with us, Dad taught us what was important for a good life: be honest and responsible, care for others, work hard and then play as hard as you worked. He taught us life is a little richer if you include lots of dogs, cats, birds and horses. He taught us the importance of family, friends and how to give good parties. His grandchildren will always remember the Saturdays that started with Grandpa collecting them for a trip to the home improvement store. Materials in hand for a project, they would trek home to help grandpa until they could convince him they had worked enough. Then grandpa would join them in the pool before he fired up the barbeque for a family part. He was not only a good father, he was a good son. Ken cared for his mother Myrtis for 20 years until her death last year. He also taught us if you cared about something, you helped make it successful. He cared about Elks Lodge 266. He was a past Exalted Ruler and just this year he was very proud to have coached the Bakersfield Lodge Ritual team. He was recently named District Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler for the East Central District. He was a past Lt. Governor of Zone 11 of the Pacific Southwest District of Optimist International as well as a past president and was also a past president of the Kern County Kennel Club. Dad died the way he lived. Saturday morning he worked on his patio, his latest project. He watched his Lakers win the championship, then went to bed. While sleeping, he left us to join those already in heaven. He leaves behind his beloved wife, Jackie; son and daughter-in-law, Todd and Debbie Ross; daughter and son- in-law, Gina and Tim Hayden; step-daughter and son-in-law, Debbie and Gilbert Villanueva, all of Bakersfield; and step-son and daughter-in-law, Richard and Judy Mills of Burton, Texas; grandchildren, Nicole, Brandon, Shandon, Christopher, Erin, Scout, Hunter, Karissa and Ryan; brothers and sisters-in-law, Howard and LeNelda Ross of Peralta, New Mexico and Lyndel and Maureen Ross of Tucson, Arizona and many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Ken Ross Memorial Fund for local projects at Elks Lodge 266, 1616 30th Street, Bakersfield. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Texas County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/texas/texas.html