William A. Ross

William Allen Ross, a resident of Annandale and Falls Church for 48 years, died on May 18, 2013, 88, at Inova Fairfax Hospital from complications of Myositis.

He is survived by: his wife, Junko Furuya Ross of Falls Church; his four children, Kathy Boi of Middleburg, Karen Davis of Falls Church, Gail McGrory of Jacksonville, Fla., and William K. Ross of Lorton; his grandchildren, Jennifer Davis Saddington, Michael Davis, Kayla McGrory, and Hanna McGrory; and his sister, Marion Heald of Virginia Beach.

He was preceded in death by: his wife of 34 years, Laurel Ross, and his second wife, Shinako Yasuda Ross.

A native of Aurora, Ill., he joined the Army Air Corps upon graduation from West Hig School in 1944, attending pre-flight school and serving as a flight officer.

He was released from active duty at the end of World War II. He graduated from the University of Chicago in 1949 with a bachelor of philosophy degree and joined the U.S. Air Force the following year to pursue his undiminished love for flying. He received his pilot's training at Randolph Air Force Base and Vance Air Force Base and flew soldiers and supplies from California and Hawaii to the United Nations forces in Korea.

He retired from the Air Force due to a disabling injury and went to work for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, Calif., at the beginning of the age of high-powered electronic computing. He then worked as a systems analyst for URS Corporation in San Francisco, Calif.; Fort Huachuca, Ariz.; and Falls Church, Va.

In 1971, he co-founded and became president of Synoptic Systems Corporation, which provided automated logistics systems support and logistic system life-cycle support to the federal community.

SSC was headquartered in Springfield with an office in Petersburg to support the U.S. Army at Fort Lee. He retired in 2002 at the age of 78 when SSC was sold to the Allen Corporation.

He was an avid golfer and member of Hidden Creek Country Club in Reston and International Country Club in Fairfax and a longtime representative to the Northern Virginia Swim League for the Camelot Community Club Swim Team in Annandale, where

his children were team members. In his later years, he most enjoyed conversations with family and friends over good food and wine, keeping up on current events and his favorite sports, and monitoring investments.

He is greatly missed and will be remembered by all who knew him as a compassionate man with a warm and generous spirit and a wonderful sense of humor.

A graveside service will be held at Arlington National Cemetery on Thursday, Sept. 19, at 9 a.m. Memorial donations may be made to Capital Caring Hospice Services, 2900 Telestar Court, Falls Church, VA 22042 or the Muscular Dystrophy Association, 3300 East Sunrise Drive, Tucson, AZ 85718.