Thelma “Jean” Ross was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt, and friend. Jean passed from this earth peacefully the evening of March 3, 2023, at the age of 90 at Traditions Sr. Assisted Living facility where she resided for the past six and a half years. She was born to John and Myrtle Harper Beall on March 3, 1933, in Vici, Oklahoma. She married TSGT Charles “Chuck” P. Ross in Natchez, Mississippi in 1955. Together they had three children: Cheryl, Dean, and Mark.
Jean was a very courageous, independent, and strong-willed woman with a desire to succeed. She knew at the young age of 12 her calling was to become a nurse. She graduated from Heavener, OK high school where she earned an academic award as Valedictorian and then attended Oklahoma University’s nursing program. She graduated in 1952 as a registered nurse where she worked hard in her profession for more than 50 years before retiring at 73.
Jean was a devout Christian with a servant’s heart and she will be missed dearly. She was a faithful member of the First Baptist Church in Denison, TX where she sang in the choir, taught Sunday School, and volunteered her time at the Christian Life Center.
In her early forties she went to Grayson County College and took cake decorating classes as a hobby, unaware to her at the time that her hobby would become a side business. Her creativity shined…..
Jean’s enjoyments in life were spending time with her family, bowling, sporting events, waterskiing (even though she never learned to swim), traveling (especially road trips), and of course her skills in the culinary arts that brought so much joy to many people.
Jean is survived by her children, Cheryl R. Gruidel and husband Tom of Papillion, Nebraska, Dean Ross and wife Tammy of Denison, Texas, and Mark Ross of Dallas, Texas; three grandchildren, Tina Buckman Pick and husband Dan of Omaha, Nebraska, Brianna Gruidel Riley of Clarksville, Tennessee, and Eric Gruidel of Papillion, Nebraska; four great grandchildren, Zoe Clark and Caitlin Pick both of Omaha, Nebraska, and Jaxton Riley and Cooper Riley both of Clarksville, Tennessee; Brother Donald Beall of Bullhead City, Arizona; nephews, nieces, cousins, and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Ross, parents John and Myrtle Beall, sister Cleta Gayle LaBonte, and brother Richard Beall.
A funeral service will be held at 1:00 pm, Saturday, March 11, 2023, at Johnson-Moore Funeral Home, 631 W. Woodard Street, Denison, TX 75020. Family and friends are invited to a visitation beginning at 11:30 am, Saturday, March 11, 2023, at the same location. Following the service, a procession will make its way to Fairview Cemetery, 1501 North, TX-91, Denison, TX 75020, for a committal service.
Our family would like to extend our gratitude to her dearly beloved friends, Elaine and Willie Cottrell of Sherman, Texas, for their love and support.
