OBITUARY: Samuel E. Ross

Samuel E. Ross, the son of Henry and Catherina (Brehm) Ross, was born on a farm west of Stockham, on November 6, 1902, and passed away at Aurora, Nebraska, on May 27, 1986, at the age of 83 years, 6 months, and 21 days.

He grew up and received his education in the Stockham area and was a graduate of Ohio State Aircraft and Automotive School in Cincinnati, Ohio.

On May 14, 1925, he married Blanche Kissel at Stockham. He farmed in Hamilton County and drove a truck for eight years. He then opened an implement business in Stockham and moved the firm to Aurora in 1945. He retired from ownership in 1962 but continued working for the Allis-Chalmers dealership for several years. He then did carpentry work.

Sam was always interested in flying and had been an aircraft pilot and owner since 1929. For the past 30 years, on the anniversary of the first air mail delivery he flew the mail on a leg of the air mail route across central Nebraska. He was a member of the Silver Wings and the OX-5 Organization.

He had been a musician for 72 years and played most band instruments. He was a bandmaster and director for 47 years and had taught music in the Stockham schools and had served on the Stockham School Board. He was a founding member and director of the Centennial Band, now called the Hamilton Concert Band. He had a large musical instrument collection, and was directing the Hamilton Centennial Band at Memorial Day observances at the Aurora Cemetery when he had his fatal heart attack.

Mr. Ross was affiliated with the Presbyterian Church in Stockham, transferring to the Evangelical United Brethren Church in Aurora, which later became the United Methodist Church. He was choir director and led the men's chorus at the church.

He was preceded in death by his parents, 10 brothers and sisters, and one grandson, Kelly Ross.

Those who remain to cherish his memory are his wife Blanche; 2 sons, Doyle of Casa Grande, Arizona and Valta of Aurora; 2 daughters, Beverly Blue of Wichita, Kansas and Deanna Cooley of Mesa, Arizona; 2 brothers, Herbert and Jona, both of Aurora; 2 sisters, Sarah Engelhardt, of Salina, Kansas and Elda Goertzen of California; 8 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren and many other relatives and friends.