Ross, G. Murray (1887-1982)

Newton Kansan obituary: 1982 Apr 30 p. 14A

Birth date: 1887 Dec 20

Text of obituary:

G. Murray Ross

G. Murray Ross, 94, former president of Ross Industries, died Thursday, April 29, at his home at 315 E. 1st in Newton.

Services will be conducted at 2 p. m. Monday, May 3, in Trinity Heights United Methodist Church, where he was a charter member and one of those instrumental in its formation. The Rev. William F. Landis will officiate and burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery.

Mr. Ross, whose business life spans almost all of the 20th century, was born Dec. 20, 1887, at Alden, Kan., the son of George B. and Lydia Ross. On Dec. 15, 1909, he married Ella H. Jeter at Alden. She died Oct. 27, 1973.

His experience in business includes selling lumber and farm implements and milling wheat. When he was a child he moved with his family (his father being a state grain inspector) to a farm near the Arkansas River in the Alden area, where he attended grade school and was graduated from high school. When he completed high school he attended Nickerson College, a former junior college at Nickerson.

Following his graduation he went to work at a lumber yard and hardware store in Sterling for three years. During the next several years he worked in hardware and implement stores in both Sterling and Lyons.

His experience in a flour mill began at a mill in Sterling where he worked in the offices. After about three years he went to the Lyons Milling Co. In 1916 he and his brother Paul went into the feed business in Wichita, and in 1917 they started into the milling business when they bought the flour mill at Whitewater.

This was the start of what later became Ross Industries with mills in Ottawa, Newton, Wichita and Wellington.

The Murray Ross family was living in Ottawa in 1936 when the mill here was purchased from Rudolf Goerz. Mr. Ross took over management of the mill and the family moved to Newton 10 years later.

Mr. Ross has been active in civic affairs and in work of his church. For many years he was a member of the board at United Methodist Youthville and served as trustee at Baker University at Baldwin, Kan., for 26 years, longer than any other trustee of the college, 1941 to 1967. He was named a Baker honorary trustee in 1975 and in October of that year Baker College dedicated the G. Murray Ross Laboratories at the school.

He also had been a member of the board of directors of Axtell Christian Hospital since 1950, and most recently was serving as a director emeritus, a total of 32 years.

He was a member of the KG&E board of directors, the last surviving member of the Ottawa Rotary Club, a member of the Newton Rotary Club and a former Rotary district governor, a member of the Millers' National Federation; and a member of the Masonic Lodge, the Royal Arch Masons and the Knights Templar orders, all at Ottawa.

Survivors include one daughter, Genevieve Ross of the home; one granddaughter and three great-grandchildren. One son, Fleming Ross, preceded him in death.

Memorials have been established for Axtell Christian Hospital, and for the Newton Public Library. Memorial gifts may be left with the staff at Petersen's Funeral Home.