Jeff Ross

SHERBURN:    A Private Family Graveside Service for Jeffrey P. Ross , 68,  of Sherburn, Minnesota, will be held Friday, May 1, 2020 at the Sherburn Cemetery in Sherburn, Minnesota with Pastor Steven D. Wilson  officiating.  A Celebration of Life Service will be held at a later time and will be announced.

    Jeff was called to his eternal rest the evening of Sunday, April 26, 2020, at the Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD. after 74 days of hospitalization, Jeff was “Done” fighting the many medical issues that his body had thrown at him.   The staff at Kramer Family Funeral Home extends their appreciation to the Ross Family for their trust.   Please share a memory of Jeff with her family by signing his online guestbook or watch Jeff’s Video Tribute on his obituary page at www.kramerfuneralhome.com

     

    Jeff was born on September 7, 1951, to Myron and Joyce (Harmes) Ross in Litchfield, MN. He graduated from Burnsville High School in 1969 and then attended Augsburg College on a football scholarship until his injury transferred him to Winona State College on a baseball scholarship. After getting his teaching and coaching license, his first job took him to Minnesota Lake. This is where he met Darla, whom he made his wife on August 3, 1979. They moved to Sherburn in 1980 where Jeff taught and coached for the next 29 plus years. In 2009, after 34 years, Jeff retired from teaching but continued to coach golf for a few more years. In 2014, Jeff was inducted into the Minnesota State Golf Coaches Hall of Fame.  

    Growing up, Jeff’s family made many moves: from Kansas to Georgia, Connecticut, New Jersey, with many stories of his time in Long Island, New York, eventually coming back to Minnesota. Through all the moves, Jeff got involved with his new community through sports, which became a very important part of his life and how he lived. He was not a one sport person, playing baseball, football, basketball, etc. and golf as he got older. Jeff had many great experiences and memories with sports, from pee wee to high school to college to mature-hood.  In high school and college, he set many records that lasted for years and it included the opportunity to play in the college Baseball World Series in Arizona. During college, Jeff had the opportunity to be “run over” by Dave Winfield during a college scrimmage.  In coaching, Jeff’s Minnesota Lake Girls Basketball team went to state. Jeff had the opportunity to coach many young people on to the state golf tournament, including taking the girls’ golf team to state, and he had one young man earn first place in state. The boys’ golf team held the record for the most conference wins under Jeff’s coaching. What he enjoyed most about sports was being able to watch and coach his sons in football and golf. Jeff cannot claim a Hole-in-One on the golf course, but he did win the Men’s club tournament in 1991 and again in 1997. Watching sports of any kind was his favorite past-time. He loved going to the Gopher Men’s Basketball games where he had season tickets for many years.

    Jeff never worked just one job, he usually had at least two or more things he was involved with. Any list would be incomplete, but it included cooking at A&W along with several other places, part-time cop, working at a grain elevator, a moving company, as a Schwann’s driver, working on a friend’s well drilling company, and the list goes on and on. In Sherburn he was involved with the Fire and Ambulance Department, proudly serving for 31 years. He managed the Fox Lake Golf Club for 29 years and was famous for his great breakfasts on Sunday mornings. He served on the Sherburn City Council and for the past 1 ½ years he was proud to serve as the Sherburn Mayor. While teaching, he was the head negotiator and served on many boards throughout the district.

    Jeff will be greatly missed by many. His sense of fun was contagious and he could usually be found surrounded by people listening to one of his many stories, most often relating to something he had experienced. He was a compassionate, consoling man, who brought comfort to those he encountered as an EMT, as well as others who needed comfort as a friend. He was a problem solver, who always looked at the big picture to find the answer. He loved life. He loved fun. He loved his family. And he loved Dairy Queen – having a self-proclaimed ability of being able to sniff one out no matter where he was.

    Those left to cherish his memory are, his wife, Darla, of Sherburn; sons Jaycob (Betsy) of Santa Fe, NM, and Ryan (Aj’a) of Sherburn. Jeff’s pride and joy, grand daughters, Rielle of Sherburn, and Adyson and Meredith of Santa Fe, NM; and grandson, Henrik, of Sherburn. Brother, Gerry, of Rosemont, and sister, Melissa Whitfield, of Castle Hayne, NC. Nieces; Elizabeth (Justen) Hopkins of Castle Hayne, NC;  Jaimi (Stella) Ross, of Lakeville; Sarah (Kinsey) Barlow, of Eden Prairie; and Cati (Matt) Moats of Savage. Jeff is survived by his 100 year old father-in-law, Ward Weyhrauch of Minnesota Lake; and numerous brother in-laws and sister in-laws; nieces and nephews who hold their Uncle Jeff close to their hearts.

    Jeff is proceeded in death by his parents, Myron and Joyce Ross; brother, Michael Ross; mother-in-law, Norma Weyhrauch; brother-in-laws, David Whitfield and Ward Weyhrauch, Jr. and nephew-in-law, Chad Weyhrauch.