Katheryn Dee Ross

Katheryn Dee (Gran) Ross, “Kathi”, departed from family and loved ones to be with her Lord on Saturday, April 30, 2016, having blessed the lives of those who knew her for sixty-eight years. Kathi Ross was born in Reno, Nevada, on January 6, 1948. She was the third of four children born to Clayton and Margaret Gran. Kathi’s family lived in Turlock, California, where her father was a highway patrolman. When Kathi was five, her family moved to Guadalajara, Mexico, where her parents began the first drive-in movie theatre in Mexico. As a child, Kathi loved playing with, dressing up, and caring for her dolls. One Christmas, each of the three girls received a doll. By the end of the day, Marcia and Clare had pitched their dolls across the room, to which their mom cried: “That’s it! Only tetherballs, no dolls, for you two tomboys!” Kathi later transferred her love and care of dolls to her own children and grandchildren. When Kathi was twelve, her mother moved with three of the four siblings to Clovis, California. Kathi attended junior high and high school in Clovis. In addition to receiving excellent grades at Clovis High School, she served on the Senior Baccalaureate Committee, as a baseball Diamondette, and as an active member of the Forensics Team. She attended the Clovis First Baptist Church and took part in many Youth For Christ events. Like many Central California teen-aged girls in the summers, she packed fruit and paid for her own school clothes. She loved her family, music, school dances, sewing, cross-stitching, cooking, and talking with friends on the phone. She endured horseback riding with her best friend. Her sister Clare recalls that Kathi was the most thoughtful of the all the children, being quite considerate to not cause her mother any heartache. Kathi displayed devotion toward her mother her entire life. As a young adult, Kathi’s aptitude for business led her to the banking world. Her organization, dedication, and Spanish bilingual skills were appreciated. While on a plane trip to a friend’s wedding, she found herself seated next to a handsome, talkative Southerner. His name was Rick Ross. Six months later, she was Mrs. Rick Ross. Her family with Rick became her life focus. Kathi and her family moved thirty times in forty years. Rick’s job as an electrical engineer took them as far north as Bellingham, Washington, as far south as Key Largo, Florida, as far east as Jakarta, Indonesia, and as far west as San Francisco, California. Wherever Kathi lived, she greeted each day with a smile, and would burst into song anytime, anywhere. Among the familiar phrases heard around any of the many houses were: “Call me when you get there,” and “Give your troubles to God.” Kathi’s faith was the strongest anchor in her busy life. Her favorite book to read both to her children and grandchildren was always: “Love You Forever.” Her favorite Bible passage was I Corinthians 13, and of the three great things, faith, hope, and love, she believed that the greatest of these was love. After the kids were grown, Kathi worked as an administrative assistant in the Farm Bureau. Retirement was near Lake Tenkiller in Cookson, Oklahoma. Kathi spent her last years enjoying her flowers, the lovely yard, cooking, baking, listening to the singing of birds, cross-stitching for family and close friends, spending time with her beloved children and grandchildren, visiting with her sisters, brother, relatives and close friends, along with watching movies and going to dinner with Rick. Kathi was preceded in death by her father Clayton Gran, and her mother Margaret Pokorny. Kathi is survived by her husband Rick Ross, of the home, stepson Shane Ross and wife Mary of Keys OK, son Clayton Ross and wife Melissa of Cookson, OK, daughter Leah Warner and husband Josh of Cookson, OK, grandchildren Brandi, Michelle, Madison Mae, Seth, and Caleb Ross, Adia Rose, Ty Warner, great-grandchild Aleeah Steinle, sisters Marcia Argentine of Guadalajara, Mexico, Clare Hedgepeth of Clovis, CA, and brother Frank and wife Marilyn Gran of Clovis, CA. A visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 4, 2016, at 10:00 A. M. followed by a celebration of life at 12:30 P.M. both at Clifford D Garrett Family Funeral Home Chapel in Fort Gibson, with Pastor TJ Scrapper officiating. Committal prayers & interment will be at Fort Gibson National Cemetery with David Griffis, Don Handley, Richard Jones, Charles Kirby, Seth Ross and Shane Ross serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearer will be Frank Gran. Flowers may be sent to: Clifford D Garrett Family Funeral Home,1224 E Poplar Street, Fort Gibson, OK 74434 (918) 478-2555. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the donor’s favorite charity or to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 Special thanks are given to Kathi’s attending doctors and ICU staff at St. John’s Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Online condolences may be left at clifforddgarrettfamilyfh.com

Katheryn Dee Ross

January 6, 1948 - April 30, 2016