William (Bill) Ross
Posted By tatemortuary on December 27, 2010
William (Bill) Ross, 63, quietly slipped away December 27, 2010 at home. He is preceded in death by his parents and wives Colleen and DeAnna. He is survived by his brother Ron (Sandy) Ross of West Jordan, son Duane (Heidi) Ross of Tooele, daughter Kim (Mike) Mitchell of Sandy, and six grandchildren. Dad was born in Payson, Utah, April 13, 1947 to Glen and LaRue Ross of Eureka, Utah. Five years later his brother Ron was born and several years after that the family moved to Midvale. On May 18, 1967 Dad married April Colleen Milner and they welcomed their only son, Duane, on February 24, 1969. A life together was not to be and he lost Colleen March 25, 1972 to cancer. Dad had enlisted in the Army a few years before, but took a discharge to take care of Duane. Dad was lucky enough to find love again and on April 7, 1977 he married DeAnna Lees and gained two daughters. They were married 8 years before they divorced, but remained good friends until her death in 1996 and is still apart of Kim (Mike) Mitchell’s life as Dad and Grandpa to Michael (14) and Kaylee (13). December 26, 1989 Dad gained another daughter when Duane married Heidi Stromberg from Waco, TX. The birth of their four children, James (20), Todd (17), Kaitlyn (13) and Callie (7) made him a proud Grandpa. While they lived in Texas he flew down for Christmas and to Heidi’s extended family he was Grandpa Bill. June 2000 Duane moved his family to Utah and Dad got to be a full‐time Grandpa, which he loved. Being a bachelor, Dad enjoyed his friends, Sunday morning breakfast and a round of golf, University of Utah games, California, Mesquite, or Wendover trips, a good game of Pinochle or Cribbage, Elk hunting, and lived for the annual Lake Powell trip. He had wanted one more Powell trip, but it wasn’t meant to be. Dad had re‐enlisted with the National Guard in 1974 and proudly served a total of 39 years 4 months. He traveled the world, was stationed overseas numerous times, but most of all he deeply cared about “his guys”. Being ready and keeping them safe was his number one priority. April 2007 Dad retired from the National Guard, as required by the rules, but wasn’t ready to be retired, so he took a civilian job in Dugway. ALS forced him to retired from there on December 2, 2010. In November 2009 Dad woke with a stiff neck, but it didn’t go away. He brushed it off and figured it would get better with time. February 2010 he started to slur words and saw the doctor. They ruled out a stroke and Dad didn’t pursue any other answers until the July 2010’s Lake Powell trip, when his friends convinced him to see the doctor and find out what was going on. After numerous tests, he was diagnosed with Bulbar Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig’s on October 28, 2010. The type of ALS he had affected swallowing, speech, and breathing which were all full involved by Thanksgiving. Unfortunately the year and a half Dad was suppose to have, wasn’t to be. He lost 37lbs from October to December, breathing became more difficult, and the last 3 days he was with us his speech was unintelligible most of the time. At his December 22nd clinic visit he agreed to a feeding tube and oxygen, on top of the suction and cough assist machines he received 10 days before, but he didn’t ever want to be a burden or live attached to machines. While we were not ready for him leave, God extended his hand of mercy, and Dad took it. In the end he got his way‐ no drawn out goodbyes and no machines. We will miss you Daddy. Please join us in celebrating Dad’s life Jan. 3, 2011 at Veterans Memorial Park (by Camp Williams), viewing at 10am, service at 11am.
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What a beautiful write up by Bill’s family. I did not know him very well, just the friendly man who I saw many times during the 2-1/2 years outside my door in Building 5330. I missed him all of a sudden this fall and because of the holidays and a lot of people taking leave, I just assumed that he was also using leave. I never knew that he was sick, but I did notice that he was loosing a lot of weight just before I did not see him any more. It was not six weeks ago that (the gentleman that he always was), Bill waited to hold the building door open for me. It was these little Acts of Kindness that left me with a sadness when I finally found out that he had gone to heaven and that I never knew what he waa actually going through. God was ready to ease his pain and suffering and I know that he is right there breathing that heavenly air. I can see the love of his family and friends and even though I know that they will miss him very much, he lived, loved, and now is everlasting. God love all his family and friends and help you through this time.
On behalf of Special Olympics Utah, I extend our condolences to the family and friends of one of our heroes, Bill Ross. He helped start an event, with his friends in the guard, that has endured for 16 years! This golf event, the Minuteman Showdown, has been one of our favorite times of the year. His absence this past year was the first time he hasn’t attended or helped coordinate. We appreciate his support; he was a wonderful friend to the athletes and the staff.