Harry "Fred" Fredrick Ross, Jr.

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Harry Fredrick Ross, Jr. who was known by all as simply Fred, passed away at 1:44 p.m. on Saturday, January 16, 2021 at Kosciusko Community Hospital of Warsaw, Indiana at the age of 79.  

He was born on January 31, 1941 in Washington, DC to Vera Eileen (Crandall) Ross and Harry Fredrick Ross.  On November 2, 1968 he married Vicki Lynn Pyke.  They shared their life together for 52 years before he passed away and during that time, they enjoyed raising their daughter and becoming grandparents. 

Fred’s intention was to join the Marines, but the recruiting officer was out to lunch, so he went next door to the Navy Recruiters and joined the U.S. Navy in 1959.  He served in Vietnam for one year on the USS Eversole a Gearing-class destroyer of the United States Navy as a “River Rat”.  Fred was honorably discharged in 1963.  After he returned, Fred went back to finish his high school degree and was a 1964 graduate of Maconaquah High School in Bunker Hill, Indiana.  He continued his education at Indiana University in Bloomington and Kokomo where he attended for three years.  

Fred worked at Wholesale Electric in Kokomo, Indiana in 1965 and transferred to Wholesale Electric in Warsaw in 1967.  In 1990 he changed to Wabash Electric in Warsaw and retired in 2016 at the age of 75.  When Fred wasn’t working, he liked to stay involved in the community and was a member from 1967-1977 with the Warsaw Jaycees, former member of the Warsaw Kiwanis Club, and the Warsaw American Legion Post #49.  

Fred started running in 1975 with the Warsaw Pioneer Days two-mile race that was held.  From there he worked his way up to actually running marathons.  In 1982 he ran both the Detroit Marathon and the Milwaukee Marathon, as well as the 1983 Boston Marathon.  On July 23, 1982 he had the honor of being an Olympic Torch Runner for the National Sports Festival IV.  Overall, he ran for over 40 years as a long-distance runner and he enjoyed the DINO Trail Racing events.  

He attended church with his wife, Vicki, at Warsaw Evangelical Presbyterian Church where he enjoyed the fellowship of his church family.  He will be forever remembered as a loving husband, devoted father and grandfather who will be dearly missed. 

He will be lovingly remembered by his wife:  Vicki Lynn Ross (Winona Lake, Indiana); daughter:  Krista (Chris) Busch (Las Vegas, Nevada); granddaughter:  Skylar Busch (Las Vegas, Nevada); and three sisters:  Nancy Gebeau (Kokomo, Indiana); Emily Campos (Port Charlotte, Florida); Vera Jean Gayheart (The Villages, Florida).  He was preceded in death by his parents, and two sisters. 

Fred’s life will be celebrated with a memorial service at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 20, 2021 at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw, Indiana officiated by Pastor Aaron Klein.  There will be an hour of calling prior to the service from 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.   Military rites will be conducted by members of the American Legion Post #49 and V.F.W. #1126 both of Warsaw.  He will be laid to rest at a later date at Oakwood Cemetery of Warsaw, Indiana.  

Memorial donations may be directed to Warsaw Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 210 S. High Street, Warsaw, Indiana  46580 and would be appreciated by the family.

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