Christopher "Chris" Allen Gross

Christopher "Chris" A. Gross, age 56, of Willmar, passed away January 6, at his residence.

A gathering of family and friends will be from 3-6 p.m. on Tuesday, January 13, at the Fraternal Order of Eagles Club in Willmar. In lieu of flowers, memorials to honor Chris may be directed to National Alliance on Mental Illness. NAMI.org Arrangements are entrusted to Peterson Brothers Funeral Home. www.petersonbrothers.com

Christopher Allen Gross was born on January 7, 1969, in Muscatine, Iowa, the son of Melvin and Dorothy (Hansen) Gross. He grew up in Muscatine and graduated from Muscatine High School in 1987. He attended college in Iowa and earned a BA degree in Finance and Business. After college, he moved near Duluth (on the North Shore) and worked in finance with area health care systems.

In 2023, Chris met the love of his life, Alicia Hess. They were married on June 12, 2024, and made their home in Willmar. His hobbies included fishing, camping and random adventures to historical sites. Chris had a wonderful sense of humor, great voice, and contagious laugh. He will be deeply missed by all that knew him.

He is survived by his wife, Alicia; two step-daughters, Sophia and Madison; three children, McKenzie, Kaitlyn and Christopher Jr. "CJ"; his parents, Melvin and Dorothy Gross; and one brother, Ahren (and Chrsitina) Gross; besides other relatives and many friends

He was preceded in death by his grandparents.