Obituaries

Edgar L. Ross’s long life ended suddenly the evening of Friday, February 4, 2022. He will be remembered as a curious, caring, and inventive man with a passion for learning and truth.

Edgar was born May 14, 1924 in Los Angeles, California to businessman Lawrence Ross and Quinteen [Culver] Ross. As a child he was known as a good student who loved to read. By high school his keen interests in science, particularly chemistry, began to gel prompting his dad and uncles to build him a small laboratory in the family’s backyard that also served as his bedroom. From there he conducted experiments, kept a pet rat named “Smoky,” and occasionally exercised his ornery streak by playing practical jokes on his younger siblings and parents.

By the time Edgar graduated from George Washington High School in 1942 his interests had grown to include medicine, theatre, gymnastics, poetry and, most particularly, a beautiful young woman named Jane Scanlon Korber. He attended Pepperdine University in 1942 before joining the Army where he worked in the medical laboratory at Camp Roberts and earned a reputation as the best shot in his platoon. He scored a 2-day pass later that year and returned to LA to marry Jane at his parent’s home on December 24, 1943 – a love affair and adventure that lasted nearly 75 years.

Edgar and Jane Ross, 75 years of marriage

1943-2018

By 1944 Edgar and Jane were living at Camp Roberts in Paso Robles with their newborn son Roger and growing lifelong friendships along with a fondness for the Airstream-like trailer the Army provided for their quarters. After the War they returned to LA and Edgar went back to college and Jane began working at California Bank, setting aside funds they later used to buy their first house. Edgar graduated from Pepperdine in 1948 with a B.S. in biology including post-graduate work in diagnostic science that prepared him for his career in medical technology, a rapidly expanding field that reflected the increasing demand for medical services following WWII.

Edgar and Jane enjoyed exploring and camping, especially the beaches from San Onofre to the Big Sur Coast. They would pack up the gear and kids – that by 1952 included daughters Janet and Nancy – and leave the city behind often sharing campsites with friends and family. Their sense of adventure coupled with an opportunity Edgar was offered to build a new laboratory in a regional hospital prompted he and Jane to leave their extended family and friends and move to the small city of Pueblo, Colorado a few days before Christmas in 1958. When the temperature dropped to 29 below and ice covered the inside of the windows of their new house, they wondered what they had gotten themselves into!

Dubbed by their family the “Colorado Kids,” Edgar and Jane reveled in the clean air and easy access to the mountains and prairie that was practically out their backdoor. Always ready to get out, Jane packed up food and clothing for the family and co-piloted – sometime with white knuckles – as Edgar towed the family trailer up many a curvy mountain road in the early 1960s in their quest to get to know the state. Edgar took on new challenges when he moved from managing the St. Mary Corwin Hospital laboratory to administration and took on leadership roles in the community including Rotary, Toastmasters, and Explorer Scouts.  Jane was active in the community too serving as a Girl Scout leader before returning to work as a secretary in the commercial loan department at Arkansas Valley Bank.

The rhythm of their life changed again in 1964 with the birth of their third daughter, Julianna, and a move to Denver in 1967 where Edgar began working as a public health advisor to the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW). Always passionate about the need to provide access to quality medical care, Edgar was recruited to help develop health maintenance organizations in the Pacific NW prompting the family to move to Bellevue in 1970.

Thrilled to be back by the ocean, Edgar and Jane soon traded their trailer for a sailboat and spent many happy summer vacations and weekends in the San Juan Islands and Puget Sound region. When Jane decided to go back to work in the 1980’s she landed a job with a start-up technology company, Control Data, that helped supplement their income while also providing her with the chance to learn about computer systems and help grow a successful company. She left this job after Edgar retired from the federal government in 1986. Afterwards they bought the Airstream trailer of their dreams and traveled throughout the West with friends for more than a decade.

Jane S. Ross passed on September 1, 2018 only two days after her 93^rd birthday. Following her death, Edgar lived at Ida Culver House at Ravenna and later Kline Galland Home where he shared his positive attitude and talents for poetry, harmonica and singing with family, fellow residents and staff. He passed on Friday, February 4 with a photo of Jane by his side.

Edgar and Jane are survived by son Roger (Bette); daughters Jan Emerson, Nancy (Chuck Warner), and Julianna Ross (Jordan Royer); six grandchildren: Chris and Kimberly Ross, Brad and Brian Scott, and Georgia and Colette Royer; Eleven great grandchildren: Parke, Duke, and Redmond Ross; Garret, Sarah and Zoey Ross; Teagan Scott; Jordan and Frances Scott; sister-in-law Beverly Henry, niece Laura Henry, and four grand-dogs: Lulu, Nellie, Casey and Lani.

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