Charles W. Ross
Charles W. Ross
Sept. 19, 1934 – June 6, 2019
Charles W. Ross, 84, of Milford, formerly of Lincoln, died June 6, 2019, at Crestview Care Center in Milford. He was born Sept. 19, 1934, in Bradford, Pennsylvania, to David and Anna (Bitler) Ross. In 1946, at age 12, he accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior. Charles graduated from Bradford High School with the class of 1952 and from Nyack College in Nyack, New York, in 1958 with a bachelor of science degree in theology. Charles met Texie I. Clark while attending Nyack College. They were married on July 7, 1956, at the Methodist Church in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. To this union, four daughters were born, Debra, Nancy, Janice and Cyndee.
Following his college graduation, Charles and Texie moved to the midwest to pioneer churches with the Christian Missionary Alliance. These churches were located in Burlington, Iowa, St. Joseph, Missouri, and Meadow Grove. In 1965, they moved to Omaha, where Charles worked for the Jewel Tea Company and when they moved to Lincoln in 1968, he continued to represent Jewel Tea. In the mid-1970s, he and a partner opened an A&W Root Beer location, and he continued to work there until 1981. Charles then was employed at Roper and Sons Funeral Home in Lincoln, working as a chaplain to families in need. In 2008, he went to Seward and worked in the Concordia University cafeteria for two years while continuing his ministry at Roper, Market Place Ministries and the Bickford Nursing Home. Charles often filled the pulpit at area churches when needed. In 2006, they moved to Milford and he became a member of Grace Missionary Church.
He and his wife, Texie, loved the Lord, and their ministries extended to the community and anyone in need. Charles was a man of integrity, living his faith consistently and demonstrating a Godly character with a kind and generous heart. In his spare time, he enjoyed working alongside his wife as they planted flowers and trees around their home and growing vegetables in their garden, which they shared with friends, family and those in need. Daily, Charles and Texie spent many hours reading their Bibles and praying—even when traveling they included this activity along with other events. Charles was a lover of all kinds of sports and enjoyed several years of umpiring for the City of Lincoln Recreation department and spent hours playing games, sports and leapfrog with his children and grandkids. When the family traveled for vacations, he loved helping others, such as roofing, building homes or helping farmers in their fields.
He is survived by his wife, Texie; three daughters and their spouses, Deb and Bill Stahly of Milford and Janice and Kathy Rohwedder and Cyndee and Brian Hershman, all of Lincoln; son-in-law and his spouse, Keith and Deb Vacha of Marysville, Kansas; 10 grandchildren and their spouses, Peter and Sarah Stahly, Sean and Rachel Stahly, Chad and Rubiel Vacha, Jennifer and Nate Macke, Heidi Downs and friend Quinn Wiley, Heather and Shayne Bayless, Dylan Cruz and fiancé Haylee Pfeifer, Kendra and Brandon Day, Bobby and Wendy Peugh and Liz Peugh; 19 great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.
Charles was preceded in death by his parents, David and Anna (Bitler) Ross; daughter, Nancy Joann Vacha; brothers, William Watson and David Ross; sister and brother-in-law, Mary Ann and Henry Alexander; parents-in-law, Dory and Elizabeth Clark; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Thomas and Gertrude Clark, Clarence and Henrietta Clark, Clair and Betty Clark, Esther and Allen Graver, Nellie and Chester Clawson, Laura Louise Clark, Dorothy and Ed Mimna and Jean Ziegenfus; and nephews, Alan Watson and David Alexander.
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, June 14, 2019, with the family greeting relatives and friends from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lauber Funeral Home in Milford and one hour prior to service at the church. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 15, at Grace Missionary Church in Milford, with the Rev. Bryan Conrad officiating. Interment will be in Pleasant View Cemetery, rural Milford. Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers may be directed in care of Texie Ross. Condolences may be sent to the family at laubermoore.com.
