Ford Ross

ROSS, FORD ULRICH, Retired Navy Avionics Technician Chief, of Pinellas Park, Florida, passed away peacefully in his sleep on September 23rd, 2010 after a short battle with leukemia.

The son of a previous United States Assistant Secretary of Defense and a North Carolina School Teacher, Ford served his country for 21 years. Stationed all over the eastern seaboard of the United States, with detachments to Spain, Bermuda and Guantanamo Bay, Chief Ross primarily served at Naval Air Station Lakehurst in New Jersey, which is the site of the Hindenburg Disaster and 3 years at NAF Weeksville, NC where he served in the United States Navy Lighter Than Air (blimps) program at both locations logging over 6000 flight hours. He was one of the resident experts with the AN/APS 20 radar systems, AN/ASQ-8 MAD and ASW LOFAR and CODAR equipment used in blimps and numerous aircraft. Chief Ross had two confirmed sightings of enemy submarines while on patrol during the Cold War and was awarded the Navy Good Conduct Medal 5 times. He retired from the Navy in 1967 while stationed in Key West, Florida and then worked for Coulter Counter Electronics, a pioneering company in the field of human blood analysis technology playing key roles in the development and utilization of equipment used in critical human blood analysis procedures. After years of working for other people, Ford then realized the American Dream and became a small business owner with his wife, Mary, by opening their own successful retail pet store, selling it for a profit upon his third and last retirement.

Ford was an avid camper, scuba diver, numismatist (coin collecting), philatelist (stamp collecting), and lover of 4-part, a cappella harmony singing. He was a member of several chapters of SPEBSQSA, the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, Incorporated. Singing bass and lead, Ford performed with many choruses and quartets in many stage shows and performances. He has served as a Chorus Director, Vice President for Public Relations and was the Charter President for the Tom’s River, New Jersey chapter.

Ford is survived by his loving wife Mary Ruth; brother Robert Tripp Ross II; three children, Ford Ulrich Junior, Andrew Kevin, and Louis Tayloe Ross; four grandchildren, Jessica Elaine McKee, Lindsay Marie Ross, Ryan Andrew Ross, and Andrew Zachery Jenkins; and four great grandchildren, Jeremy, Caitlyn, Laci and Lexi. Ford will be greatly missed by his friends and family.

His funeral arrangements are managed by Veterans Funeral Care in Clearwater, Florida and he was placed to rest at the Bay Pines National Cemetery, 10000 Bay Pines Boulevard, Saint Petersburg, Florida on October 8^th, 2010 with Full Military Honors. The family requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to either the American Cancer Society or their local Hospice organization in Ford’s memory.