Gross, John Clarence (1897-1961)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1961 Sep 14 p. 8

Birth date: 1897 Apr 15

text of obituary:

JOHN C. GROSS

John Clarence Gross, son of Joseph and Maria (Moyer) Gross, was born near Dublin in Bucks County, Pa. on April 15, 1897, and died suddenly of a coronary thrombosis July 28, 1961 at a Williamsport, Pa., motel while on a brief vacation trip. He reached the age of 64 years, three months and 13 days.

He was married to Kathryn U. Huddle on June 26, 1920, who died April 25, 1958. On Oct. 15, 1960, he was married to Rhoda C. (Yoder) Dayton, who survives.

A long-time resident of Blooming Glen, Pa., Mr.Gross operated a market route in Philadelphia for many years, retiring five months before his death.

He was a member of the Blooming Glen Mennonite Church where he served as Sunday school superintendent in his younger years and also taught a young men's Bible class for many years. He served several terms on the Franconia Mission Board. His delight and concern was to see the growth of the church through establishing mission outposts, using personnel from the home congregation. It can truly be said of Bro. Gross, "One generation shall praise thy work to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts." Psalm145:4.

In addition to his wife he is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Norman S. (Ruth) Myers of Blooming Glen; nine stepchildren, Mrs. Vernon Bishop and Robert Dayton, both of Doylestown, Mrs. Carl Moreland and John Mark Dayton, both of Pinto, Md., Calvin, David and Phillip Dayton, all of Ridgeway, W. Va., Arthur Dale Dayton of East Lansing, Mich. and Mrs. Pollard Byler of Colorado Springs, Colo.; two sisters, Mrs. Walter Albright of Blooming Glen and Mrs. Ernest Allebach of Harrisburg; three grandchildren and 18 step-grandchildren.

One infant son, Franklin, preceded him in death.

Funeral services were held Aug. 1 at the Blooming Glen Mennonite Church, in charge of Richard Detweiler and David F. Derstine, Jr.