BRENT CROSS

CROSS, Brent Devoted husband, father, and son to his family, passed away at Mass General Hospital in Boston on Thanksgiving after a courageous battle with cancer. He was 58. Though a well-known business and civic leader, Mr. Cross was most proud of his family - his wife Lori, who was by his side throughout his illness; and his children, Whitney, Brian, Woody, Alison and Emily. He enjoyed his quiet moments at Starbucks, the family time at Green Lake, dinners in Boston, golf at Penobscot Valley Country Club, endless time on the phone while driving in the car and going to lunch with his father. Mr. Cross also became close to the team of doctors and medical staff at Mass General, who offered the very best of themselves in his care including, Dr. Lori Wirth, Dr. Richard Hodin, Dr. Paul Busse, Dr. Ashok Muniappan and other members of the Lunder9 team. Born and raised in Bangor, ME, Mr. Cross remained a resident of Bangor his entire life. He earned both his Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Business Administration from Husson University in Bangor, and later earned an Associate's Degree in risk management from the American Institute in Malvern, PA. Mr. Cross served as the Executive Vice President of Cross Insurance, having begun his career with his family's firm in 1979. He supervised the expansion of agency offices over the past four decades from a single office to now more than 35 locations throughout New England. He also oversaw staff growth from five employees to more than 700 employees throughout the region. Mr. Cross was instrumental in facilitating partnerships with Boston sports franchises including the New England Patriots, Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins. After learning of his death, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and his son, Jonathan, released a statement, remembering Mr. Cross as one of New England's "truly exceptional business people and marketers." "For over a decade, we have admired his commitment to his clients, his family and his community," the Krafts said. "He was a brilliant strategic marketer and, along with his distinctive voice, helped drive the growth of the Cross Insurance brand throughout New England. We were honored to have known Brent and to have partnered with him. We extend our condolences to the entire Cross Family." The Jacobs family, who own the Boston Bruins, expressed their condolences to the Cross family and noted how Mr. Cross "became a friendly face and a fixture at many games and events not only at the TD Garden, but in Boston. He was a great colleague, business partner and friend. His presence will be missed by all of us." Sam Kennedy, President of the Boston Red Sox, recalled that Mr. Cross' "love of the Red Sox and Fenway Park was legendary - and the love was mutual. We have lost a compassionate, genuine, sweet heart of a man." While Mr. Cross was known and loved throughout New England, he remained deeply involved in the Bangor community, where he served as an adjunct professor and member of the board of trustees at his alma mater, Husson University. For more than 20 years he instructed undergraduate students in insurance theory and practice. He was inducted into the Husson Business Hall of Fame in 2005, and also served as a board member for the Associated General Contractors (AGC), First Light Health Systems; the Sports Museum; and was a member of the Francis Crowe Society. Mr. Cross was also founding president of the Bangor Breakfast Rotary and an award recipient from the Maine Chapter of the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) group. Predeceased by his mother Janette Loretta Cross, Mr. Cross is survived by his wife, Lori Cross; his father, Woodrow Cross; three daughters, Whitney Cross, Alison Cross and Emily Cross; two sons, Brian Cross and Woodrow Cross II; two brothers, Dennis Cross and Royce Cross; two sisters, Connie Guelich and Judy Olson; and many nieces and nephews. Relatives and friends are welcome to call between 4 and 7 pm Tuesday, December 1, at Brookings-Smith, 133 Center Street, BANGOR. A funeral service will be held at 11 am, Wednesday, December 2 at Bangor Baptist Church, 1476 Broadway Bangor, ME with the Reverend Russell "Pencil" Boone, Pastor of Student Ministries and the Reverend Dr. James L. Haddix, Pastor and Teacher of All Souls Congregational Church, Bangor officiating. The family invites relatives and friends to share conversation and refreshment immediately following the service Wednesday. Interment will be in Mount Hope Cemetery, Bangor. Those who wish to remember Brent in a special way may make gifts in his memory to: The Joe Andruzzi Foundation, 200 Chauncy St., Suite 208 Mansfield, MA 02048, https://tackling-joeandruzzifoundation.org/BrentCross or Husson University, the Brent Cross Scholarship Fund, Attn: Scholarships, One College Circle, Bangor, ME 04401.