Byrle Ellsworth Gross

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. Byrle Ellsworth Gross, age 92, of Scottsbluff, Neb. died Thursday, January 20, 2011 at his home. Memorial Services with Military Rites by the United States Navy Honor Guard will be held at 3 p.m., Saturday, January 29, 2011, at the First Baptist Church in Scottsbluff, with Pastors Gary Cole and David Bouchard officiating. At a later date, his cremated remains will be buried in Belhaven, North Carolina alongside his wife, Mary. Memorials in his name may be made to the First Baptist Church in Scottsbluff, or to the donor's choice. Jolliffe Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. His obituary may be viewed at www.jolliffefuneralhome.com where online condolences may be left. Byrle was born July 3, 1918 in Cherokee, Iowa to Eli Gross and Anna Crippen Gross. He graduated from Marcus, Iowa High School. He joined the United States Navy in 1938, serving on the cruiser USS Vincennes and continuing with pride through World War Two as Gunnery Fire Officer on destroyers USS Madison, Edwards, and NOA. During his service in the Navy, he cruised the Aleutians, the central and south Pacific Oceans, the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Lieutenant (JG) Byrle Gross earned the Navy Unit Citation, the American, Asiatic Pacific Area Four Stars Medals, the Philippine Liberation Two Star Medal and the Good Conduct Medal. He married Mary Elizabeth Foreman on December 14, 1940 in South Mills, North Carolina. Following his Honorable Discharge from the United States Navy in 1947, Byrle and Mary moved from Norfolk, Virginia to Gering and Scottsbluff, Nebraska, where he was employed as lineman and service man by Consumers Public Power District, now known at Nebraska Public Power District. In 1958, Byrle was appointed to fill a new position as Electric Heating Advisor at the NPPD general office in Columbus, Nebraska. His NPPD career continued as Marketing Manager, then to Energy Management Manager. He remained at that position until his retirement in 1983. Byrle returned to Scottsbluff in 1997, where he and Mary resided at the Village at Regional West. He was a member, usher and Trustee of the First Baptist Church in Scottsbluff. He was an electrician, builder and visionary, a model train enthusiast, a traveler, jokester and friend to all who knew him. He is survived by his brother Paul Gross and wife Sally of Escondido, CA; daughter Louise Kent and her husband Douglas of Scottsbluff, NE; son Byrle Gross, Jr., and his wife Dr. Cynthia Sherwood of Independence, KS; daughter Ruth Bowman and her husband John of Lawrence, KS; and daughter Kay and her husband Mark Neuer of Topeka, KS. He is also survived by grandchildren Karla (Travis) Jensen; Kathryn (John) Manley, Peggy (Douglas) Millay; Amanda (John) Loken; Katie Gibson, Eli (Nicole) Gross; Audrey and Daniel Gross, and Elise, Lauren and Meridith Neuer; and six great-grandchildren, Hannah, Grace and Emily Manley; Elizabeth, Madeline and Alaina Millay and Bine and Angus Loken. Byrle was preceded in death by his wife Mary, his parents and twin sisters June Merrill and Jean Bouchard. Byrle E. Gross