Dennis Clarence "Denny" Gross

Dennis "Denny" Clarence Gross

Dec. 30, 1940 - Sept. 1, 2020

MATTOON - Dennis "Denny" Clarence Gross of 79 years, left this life September 1, 2020, with the comfort of his daughter. Denny was born on December 30, 1940 in Bartelso, Illinois to Clarence "Buck" and Ruth Gross. He received his bachelors and master's degrees in Education and Accounting from Southern Illinois University. While teaching in the Business department at Eastern Illinois University he met his wife, Laris Stalker Gross. They married in 1968 and started their family in Charleston, Illinois. Denny worked for the CPA Society and then started his own business through Management Recruiters where he worked until he retired. The family settled in Park Ridge, IL in 1979. Denny was actively involved in the Washington School Playmakers, Boy Scout Troop 50, and Camp Napowan in Wild Rose, Wisconsin.

Denny is remembered as being a dry witted, multi-talented man with great wisdom and energy, and a charitable personality. After Laris' death in 2005, he moved to the Stalker family cottage in Bay City, MI and wintered in Boulder Creek and then Sunnyvale, California. He enjoyed seeing the Saginaw Bay from the screened porch and being in the company of long-time friends and cherished neighbors.

Denny is survived by his daughter Trudy and daughter-in-law Stacey Martinsky, son Jonathan, and son Anthony and daughter-in-law Tara and their daughters Maeve Laris and Nora Helen; his sister and brother-in-law Kay and Phonse Winkeler; and his brother-in-law Gene Mattern. He was predeceased by his niece Kathy Kreke, wife Laris, and sister Carol Mattern.

The family will celebrate Denny's life at a time in the future. Each year he enjoyed the Crab Feed held by Trudy's school district and remained a donor to the Lincoln Park Zoo since the family lived in Carl Sandburg Village. If so desired, the family suggests donations to the FUHS Foundation (fuhsfoundation.org) or LPZ (lpzoo.org) in honor of Dennis Gross.