Jesse James Ross Jr.

Jesse James Ross, Jr.

SHREVEPORT, LA - Funeral services for Jesse James Ross, Jr. will be held on Monday, May 9, 2011, at the First Methodist Church of Homer, Louisiana at 11:00 a.m., with burial at Arlington Cemetery, Homer, to follow. Reverend R. B. Moore will officiate. Visitation with the family will be that morning at the church at 10:00 a.m.

Jesse was born on July 20, 1924, in Thalia, Texas. He died on Thursday, May 5, 2011, in Shreveport, Louisiana, following a sudden and brief illness. He was preceded in death by his parents, James Ross and Jewel Marsh Ross, and recently, his wife Beverly Kinnebrew Ross. May 5, 2011, would have been their 60th wedding anniversary.

Jesse is survived by his daughter, Susan Ross Smith, his son, James K. Ross and his wife, Dalton, one grandson James Dudley and his wife, Jackie, four granddaughters, Erin Dudley, Rebecca Smith Pegg and her husband, Brian, Elizabeth Ross and Catherine Ross, and one great-granddaughter, Brianna Dudley.

Jesse served in the Army Air Corps and was training for duty as a navigator when World War II ended. Following that, he attended Texas A & M University, where he obtained his degree in petroleum engineering in 1948. After graduating he began his career in the oil industry in Hobbs, New Mexico with Ohio Oil Company. He was relocated to Midland, Texas, where he met many lifelong friends, including Beverly Kinnebrew, his wife of nearly 60 years. Soon after their marriage, Jesse and Beverly moved to Shreveport, Louisiana, near Beverly's childhood home of Homer, Louisiana. They made Shreveport their home, but kept close ties to the Homer community.

After settling in Shreveport, Jesse joined Crow Drilling Company as a petroleum engineer for the remainder of his career. However, he never really retired. Jesse continued his close friendships with everyone in the company, and was thrilled to offer his consulting expertise whenever needed. Jesse also remained close to his many cousins in the Marsh family, and enjoyed attending annual reunions in Poetry, Texas, for many years. He was a member of the First Methodist Church of Shreveport, and the First Methodist Church of Homer. He was a Mason, and member of both the Athens Lodge and the Scottish Rite in Shreveport. He was a member of the Petroleum Club, the Homer Country Club, and the Happy Hour Group and Men's Coffee Group in Homer, Louisiana. He loved God, his wife and family, and was a fine example to all.

Pallbearers will be John David Crow, Ballard Smith, Alan Brittain, Jim Thomas, Chuck Asseff, and Ronnie Madole. Honorary pallbearers are Jerry Elgin, Thomas Carmody, and the men of the Happy Hour Group from Homer.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the First Methodist Church of Homer, the First Methodist Church of Shreveport, or the charity of the donor's choice.