Gayle M. Ross

Gayle M. Ross

March 9, 1932 – August 29, 2021

Preceded in death by husband, Robert; parents, Harold and Berniece Glienke.  Survived by son, Erich (Jennifer); grandchildren, Jackson and Kennedy; brothers-in-law and sister-in-law, Jerry Ross, Tom Ross (Shirley); nieces and nephews

MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL: Thursday, September 2^nd at 10:30am at St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church, 11802 Pacific Street.  Private Interment.  Memorials are suggested to St. Cecilia Cathedral School.

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Gaylene Mae Cecelia (Glienke) Ross was born in Alta Vista, Iowa, population 100.  When she was 5 years old, they moved to Algona, Iowa where she attended St. Patrick’s School from 1^st to 3^rd grade.  Her family then moved 15 miles North to Bancroft, Iowa, population 1,000.  She attended grade and high school at St. John’s taught by Franciscan monks.  Her dad was a butter maker there and Gayle got to test the milk from the farmers for acidity or alkalinity using litmus paper.  That was the beginning of her love for science and chemistry, she was fascinated. 

After graduation, her family moved to Perry, Iowa where she worked at a bank and was a sales clerk at the local sale barn.  Gayle earned enough for a year of college at Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa which she attended with her best friend from 4^th grade on, Beverly Smith.  They both took a course in Medical Technology which involved lots of classes in chemistry and biology. She worked as a waitress during the school year and in the summer at the bank and sale barn.  After college, both Beverly and Gayle took an internship at Mercy Hospital in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  The internship paid for her tuition, room, and board.  She thrived there and was able to help pathologist with various autopsies and other elective offerings.

After college graduation, Gayle and Beverly moved to Omaha, Nebraska, and roomed with other classmates from Bancroft.  Gayle worked at St. Joe’s and Beverly at St. Catherine’s.  While working there she met Susan Willdrot.  Six or eight gals would go to Ray’s Valley Lake on Sunday and one day had some “beverages” that she and Susan needed to stay cool, guess who offered his cooler to them to use, of course Bob Ross.  Bob was attending Creighton University. 

They dated for a little over a year and got married at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church.  Bob finished with a Bachelor’s in Business and went to work at Mutual of Omaha.  Gayle worked at Methodist Hospital after 4 years at St. Catherine’s.  They both walked to work and lived across from Duchesne in an apartment at 36 and California.  Bob and Gayle bought a boat and water skied every night after work at Carter Lake.  After 4 years, they bought a house at 62 and Vane. Gayle went to work at Jennie Edmundson in Council Bluffs, Iowa.  Bob and Gayle started snow skiing and continued to enjoy the sport for 40 years.  They also played tennis at Omaha Sports Club.  After 14 years of marriage and 2 miscarriages, their very wonderful and miracle son was born.  Gayle quit work so she could spend as much time with Erich as possible.  When Erich was 3, she returned to work evenings at Immanuel Hospital. When Bob came home, he would take Erich up to have supper as a family.  Erich was 6 when Bob and Gayle built a house in the St. Robert Parish where Erich went to school.  Gayle helped in the library and was room mom several years.  She then went to work at the Red Cross on the evening shift for 5 years. Gayle left to work at an OBGYN office in the lab, then finally at UNMC to work in the lab where she retired when Erich graduated college. 

She attended daily 8:30 mass and received communion.    Bob and Gayle were both Eucharistic Ministers.  She helped at funerals and the Shawl group.  Gayle became the funeral luncheon head and did that for 4 years. 

She leaves behind a son, Erich (Jennifer); grandchildren, Jackson and Kennedy; brothers-in-law and sister-in-law, Jerry Ross, Tom Ross (Shirley); nieces and nephews.