Thursday, April 25, 2024
Tommy Ross, age 92, of Gatesville, passed away on Monday, February 20, 2023, in Waco.
Tommy was preceded in death by his wife on Monday, February 13, 2023.
Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, March 24, 2023, at Turnersville Cemetery. The family will receive visitors from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday, March 23, at Scott’s Funeral Home.
Thomas William Ross was born on September 20, 1930, in Coryell County, to the late Tommie Lee and Lois Irene Farris Ross. He graduated from Turnersville High School in 1949 and attended Clifton Junior College for one year studying Industrial Arts. He married Joyce Maxine Stryker Ross on September 16, 1950, in Clifton. They had three children: T. Wayne in 1953, Rebecca Joyce in 1956, and Cynthia Kay in 1959. Together, they enjoyed 42 years of marriage, travelling, raising their three children, entertaining grandchildren, and building their dream vacation home in Creede, Colorado.
Tommy worked in the professional manufacturing industry for over 40 years. First, at A. Brandt Furniture Co., Inc. located in Fort Worth for 20 years starting as an Assembly Line worker and moving up to Purchasing Supervisor over four branches of the company. In 1970, he moved to Royal Mfg. Co. Inc. located in Grand Prairie, where he worked as the Quality Control Manager until 1990. He retired early so he could be the full-time care giver to his wife, Maxine, as she fought a valiant battle with colon cancer ending in 1993.
In 1998, he went to his 50-year Turnersville High School Reunion, where he met an old friend, Joy Patterson Bates, who had been widowed in 1991. He began to court her with flowers, square dancing dates, and playing dominos. On June 4, 1999, Tommy married Joy Bates, and the two enjoyed 23 fun-filled years together, before her death one week earlier than his on February 13, 2023. He promised her “she could go first,” and he kept that promise …. by one week!
Tommy and Joy had a quiet life split between Gatesville and Creede, Colorado. He loved working in the barn/workshop on his hobbies of “inventing things that moved & solved problems” and with his woodworking toys.
Tommy is preceded in death by his first wife, Maxine, and his second wife, Joy; brother James Ross and a granddaughter, Victoria Joyce (Tori).
He is survived by his three children, T. Wayne Ross and wife, Joyce, Rebecca DeLong and husband, John, and Cynthia Ross-Bell and husband, Randie; and all his grandchildren: Jason, Jessica, Tyler, Antora, Beth, Amanda, and Adam.
In his own words, “I never decided what I wanted to do when I grew up. I just walked the way the wind blew,” and it served him well for 92 years.
In lieu of flowers, the family requested that memorials be made to the Boys & Girls Club, 2533 E. Main Street, Gatesville, TX 76528.
