Barbara Ross

Barbara Jean Ross of Grand Rapids Michigan passed away at home on June 8, 2022. Her medical care was being managed by an incredibly dedicated and compassionate team from Spectrum Health Hospice. Barbara was born on July 30, 1941. The daughter of Dick and Marie Devereaux, she lived most of her early years in St. Johns, MI before marrying Dennis Ross and moving to Ontonagon in the upper peninsula of Michigan. Though she was hundreds of miles and a world away from everything she had known, she quickly began to forge lifelong friendships, as was her way. In the '70s, the family moved to Kingsford, MI, where she realized an important goal of hers, earning a high school diploma. In the mid-1980s, Barb, her husband, and her youngest son moved to Jackson Michigan. Barb had a rich and varied work life. Among those that were most rewarding to her were her work in bookkeeping at Ace Hardware in Kingsford and her involvement in supervisory roles with Kelly Fuels of Jackson. For her, it was the people that she enjoyed the most and believed enriched her life. Not surprisingly, she continued to volunteer her time and talents long after retirement, first at the Michigan Theatre in Jackson and, second, serving as a docent at Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids. Barbara always had a very generous, accepting, and giving nature, making her a favorite of her grandchildren. Family and friends were very important to her. Barbara lived with her son Craig Ross. He and his brothers, Jeff and John Ross, combined efforts to allow her to stay at home when her health began to fail. She is survived by her sons Jeff (Dana), John (Shelie), and Craig Ross; foster daughter Brenda Richardson; grandchildren Shannon Bales, Morgan (Chris) Hall, Zach (Marissa) Ross, Erika Ross, Rebecca (Sarene) Felton, Jonathan Ross, and Rachel Ross; great grandchildren Jonah and Jude Hall. A graveside memorial service will be held for Barbara at Mt. Rest, 600 N Bus 127, St Johns at 11:00 AM on July 9, 2022. A funeral luncheon will be held shortly after at Main Street Cafe, 205 N. Clinton Street , St. Johns at 12:00 PM. Memorial Contributions in Barb's honor are suggested to Frederik Meijer Gardens or Spectrum Health Hospice of Grand Rapids. Cremation arrangements are entrusted to Michigan Cremation & Funeral Care, Grand Rapids, (616) 452-3006. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Barbara Ross, please visit our flower store.