Paul T. Gross Jr.

Paul T. (Tom) Gross, Jr., Ph.D., a Westerly resident since 1967, died on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012, at his home. He was 79.
Tom was born Oct. 8, 1932, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Paul T. and Margaret Muir Gross. He graduated from Rocky River High School in Rocky River, Ohio. He earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where he rowed varsity crew, an M.B.A. at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and a Ph.D. in Finance at Columbia University in New York City. Tom served as a captain in the U.S. Air Force between 1957 and 1959.
Tom and his wife Nancy founded and ran the Westerly School of Business between 1977 and 1985. He also created and ran Westerly Business Systems between 1978 and1988. Tom taught computer programming and statistics at the University of Rhode Island, University of Vermont, Northeastern University, and the University of Connecticut, Avery Point.
Tom enjoyed sailing, vintage sailboats, boat-building, investing, computers, and walking on the beach with his children and grandchildren. He loved spending time with his family.
He is survived by his wife Nancy, daughter, Meg with her husband Richard Walter, Kay, and daughter Betsy and her husband Mark Gavin; and by his son Petee and his wife Anna Lee; and by his eight grandchildren.
There will be a service held at Buckler-Johnston Funeral Home, 121 Main Street, Westerly, at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012, followed by a gathering at the Andrea Hotel in Misquamicut, R.I.
The family requests in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the American Heart Association.