Alice Marie Ross, 95, beloved wife of John Adam Ross, Jr., mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister-in-law, aunt, and friend, passed away with hospice care on June 13, 2023, at Brookdale Assisted Living in Shawnee Mission, Kansas.
She was born on January 17, 1928, in St. Joseph, Missouri, to Emmett and Leila Parrott. Alice graduated from Central High School in St. Joseph in 1945. After graduating, Alice, her two brothers and her parents moved to Michigan where she also attended college for musicians.
In 1947, Alice married her high school sweetheart John Ross, Jr. They were happily married for 70 years. John passed away on October 26, 2017. They lived in St. Joseph for many years where they raised their three children. In the 1980’s they moved to Wichita, Kansas for John’s career. When John retired, they traveled for five years and eventually settled in Chama, New Mexico for over 20 years. In 2016, they moved to Kansas City, to be closer to family.
Alice and John had many traveling adventures together including Italy, Greece, France, Egypt and all across the United States. They brought back the most amazing stories, photos, and mementos to share with and entertain the family.
In addition to being a wife, mother of three, and eventually a grandmother of many grandchildren, Alice was an accomplished musician and singer. She was part of the quartet at St. Joseph’s First Christian Church as a soprano. She dearly loved music, singing, playing the piano, pipe organs, and eventually the harp that John built for her when she and John were in their young 80’s. Alice also sang at funerals, weddings, and for other churches over the years.
She belonged to the Fortnightly Club in the early years of her musical career. One of her recent passions was listening to the majestic music from pipe organs and the talented musicians who played them at Country Club Christian Church in Kansas City. To know Alice was to hear her sing and hear her music.
Alice also created the most exquisite needlework. She began knitting at a very young age and over the many years went on to knit beautiful sweaters for the family as well as for herself. She specialized in Celtic cable knit sweaters. She also knit the tiniest, most beautiful doll clothes as well. Later in life she began knitting blankets for the Linus project. She loved to knit.
Over the many years, she also created many beautiful hand-crafted quilts, hand-appliqued bedspreads, clothes, curtains and more. Her exquisite heirloom quilts are treasured by her family. She also embroidered beautifully and made the most precious hand-smocked dresses. Alice was a creative genius, carrying on her beloved father Emmett’s creative legacy.
Alice is survived by her three children: Kathy, Mike (Vicki), and Lisa; sister-in-laws, Jane and Judy; nine grandchildren; and a growing number of great-grandchildren.
Memorial Services will be held at a later date in the chapel at Country Club Christian Church in Kansas City, Missouri. Her final resting place will be with John in Memorial Park Cemetery in St. Joseph, Missouri.
