Barbara “Barb” Ross

Barb was born on March 14, 1926, on a form in Oglivie, Minnesota and moved with her family to Plymouth, Michigan when she was 3 years old. She graduated from Plymouth High School and started working as a telephone operator for Michigan Bell while still in school and continued until after marriage, leaving to raise their children. She was married to Robert “Bob” Ross from Northville, Michigan upon his return from the Pacific in 1946. They lived in Plymouth where they raised their four children and Bob worked for Michigan Bell Telephone Company. In 1969, they moved to Dollar Bay when Bob was transferred to the Ripley office to help with the phone system at Michigan Tech. Their two oldest daughters (Patricia and Susan) had already graduated and left home, but the two boys, Jim and Jerry, graduated from Dollar Bay High School in 1971 and 1974 respectively. Barb was hired back to the phone company in the Repair Department in Ripley in 1973 and retired in 1985 when the office closed, having accrued 18+ years of service.

Barb was a wonderful friend to all who knew her. She loved to write letters and just in the last few years lost friends she had corresponded with for years. She actually started kindergarten with some of them. She fell in September of 2019 and fractured her right femur, necessitating the placement of three pins. She had to use a walker ever since but liked to walk on her 55 foot long porch overlooking the Portage Canal for exercise. She fell in May of 2022 and broke her left hip with replacement of the ball. She loved to get out of the house with her daughter just to go grocery shopping, taking a drive and especially going to Taco Bell. Barb was a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Houghton. She moved to Garden View Assisted Living and Memory Care Facility in Calumet in November of 2022 when she could no longer live alone due to weakness in her legs.

Barb was preceded in death by her parents, husband Bob who passed away in November of 2017 just 6 weeks shy of their 72nd wedding anniversary, daughter Patricia Ross, sister Patricia Schroeder, brother Dudley Martin, and daughters-in-law, Valerie Ross and Janice Ross.

Barb is survived by her daughter, Susan (Michael) Benard of Mohawk, and sons James “Jim” of Hancock and Jerry of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandson, nieces and nephews. Per the wishes of the deceased, cremation has taken place. There will be no public service, but a private family gathering will be held at a later date.

In lieu of other tokens of sympathy, donations may be made to the Seventh Day Adventist Church of Houghton, KSNAG, The Salvation Army, or a charity of your choice.

The O’Neill-Dennis Funeral Home in Hancock is assisting with her arrangements.