Otho Ross

Otho B. Ross, Jr., M.D. CHARLOTTE - Otho B. Ross, Jr., M.D. died suddenly Tuesday November 18, 2013, at The Cypress. He was born in Charlotte, NC in 1919, son of Dr. Otho B. Ross, Sr. and Lucy Harris Ross. Dr. Ross attended Central High School, and took his final year at Oak Ridge Military Institute. Otho then attended the University of NC at Chapel Hill, graduating in 1940. He majored both in chemistry and philosophy, studying under the famous philosopher Horace Williams. While a student he was acclaimed as the best first year Physics student. Dr. Ross was captain of the first University swimming team, and during that year he was undefeated in diving in dual intercollegiate meets. He was runner-up in the Southern conference championships, both in diving and in the breaststroke swim. Otho joined the Sigma Chi social fraternity. Dr. Ross then entered Duke University School of Medicine. There he led his class on first part of the National Board of Medical Examiners. He received the M.D. degree in 1943. Otho then had internships at the U.S. Marine Hospital at Baltimore, MD and at Jefferson Medical College Hospital in Philadelphia. Following, he had two years assistant residency training at Duke Hospital, then one year at the State Hospital at Morganton, NC. He became a board certified specialist in Internal Medicine. Dr. Ross then entered the private practice of Medicine in Charlotte in association with his father. They practiced together for 25 years until the retirement of Dr. Ross, Sr. He continued in solo practice until his retirement in 1985. In practice, as a result of his training in Psychiatry and Neurology, he was interested in the mind-body relationship of many diseases. Otho cared for many elderly patients in nursing homes and was medical director at two of them. Dr. Ross did much work at the Charlotte Community Hospital and others. He published an early Journal of the AMA article advising more use of controls in evaluating medical treatments before they were widely used. Dr. Ross served two years in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War, being stationed in London. He was Chief of Medicine at the London area military hospital at South Ruislip, London. Upon his discharge in 1955 he received the National Defense Service Medal. Dr. Ross was a member of Myers Park Presbyterian Church, the Charlotte Country Club, where he loved all the sports and won several awards in them. He was a member of the Charlotte Kiwanis Club, the Green Gables group, and the Charlotte Philosophy Discussion group, which his father had founded in 1913. He was an amateur tree farmer, planting pine trees on his vacant country land. He and his sons built a cabin on one of these in the mountains of Avery Co., and they had many nice vacations there. His wife Dorothy led a very active life in Charlotte, raising four children and helping him in his practice. In 1999 they moved to the Cypress. Dr. Ross was preceded in death by his sisters, Laura Ross Venning, M.D and Jane Ross Hammer. He is survived by his loving wife, Dorothy Lowe who he married in 1943; son, Otho B. Ross III, J.D., daughter, Lucy Ross Clair, M.S.N., son, John F. L. Ross, PhD, and son, Charles Coe Ross; grandchildren, Dr. Charles Tyler Ross, Whitney Grace Ross and Hannah Ross Clair. The family will receive friends Sunday, November 24, 2013 from 3:00 to 4:30 in the Clubhouse of the Cypress. T.H. Robertson Funeral & Cremation Service is serving the family www.throbertson.com.