Gerald Norman Ross
January 2, 1924 - January 10, 2011
With family by his side, Norman passed away peacefully on
January 10, 2011 at Burnaby General Hospital, due to complications associated with Parkinson’s disease. He is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Julie (nee Tonoski), his children: Elaine (David), Howard (Judy), Donald (Liz), Aleta (Rick), Warren (Holly) and Janice; his grandchildren:
Jana (Rod), Aaron, Alexandra, Camille, Quinn, Michela and Emily; his great-grandchildren: Caprianna and Zeth, his brother John/Jack (Helene) and many loving nieces and nephews. He was pre-deceased by his brother George and his sister Sara/Sadie.
Dad was born on January 2, 1924 in Revelstoke, BC to John and Maude Ross. The son of a CPR employee, he grew up with steam locomotives at his back door and the splendour of BC’s wilderness as his playground at Malakwa, Ross Peak and Three Valley. He attended school in Three Valley and Revelstoke; a keen learner, who excelled in Physics, he was
also active in sports and was a member of the Rocky Mtn. Rangers and the Revelstoke High School Cadet Corps, where he reached the rank of Sgt. Major. After graduation he served in the RCAF, not as a pilot (eye glasses), as was his wish but, as a radio technician – which he later said was probably a good thing - in Aston Downs, England; and Hamburg, Germany, where he readily picked up the language. After the war he attended UBC to study Physics,
German and the arts. While boarding with his brother John, it was our good fortune that he met his beautiful fellow boarder, our mother, whom he married on May 21, 1948.
He eventually settled into the auto insurance business as a casualty adjuster and was able to buy the first of several family homes in Burnaby.
Dad imbued us all with his love and appreciation of the outdoors by regaling us with stories of his adventures in places such as Frog Creek and Crazy Creek - in what seemed to us to be a pretty idyllic childhood in some sort of wilderness paradise - and then by taking us to many of the very same places to camp and fi sh, as well as sharing many new experiences on frequently long and arduous road trips, sometimes fraught with unexpected and character building
adventures. He was always a strong supporter of our extra-curricular activities, whether it was sports, Girl Guides/Brownies, Cubs/Scouts or Cadets. He was often directly involved or cheering enthusiastically from the sidelines. He had an unending thirst for knowledge and was a voracious reader of classic literature and world history.
He was a loving and doting grandfather and generously supported his grand-children in furthering their education.
A memorial service will be held at 2 pm on January 16, 2011 at the Columbia Bowell Funeral Chapel at 219 6th Street in New Westminster. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation. Condolences can be offered to the family at www.kearneyfs.com.
“Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light”
Kearney Funeral Services 604-736-0268