Arvis Gross

Arvis Marie Gross, 94, of Jefferson, long-time resident of Grand Junction, Iowa died Thursday, June 15, 2017.

Mass of the Resurrection was held Saturday, June 24 at St. Brigid Catholic Church in Grand Junction. Fr. Jeff Schleisman was the celebrant. The lector was Marilyn Lansman. Serving as casket bearers were Chuck Gross, Scott Kiner, Kyler Kiner, Dwayne Consier, Jerry Beyerink and Hunter Beyerink. Honorary bearers were her grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Jimita Consier, Kelly Gross, Nikki Cardin, Josie Consier, Joelle Consier, Paityn Porter, Landon Cardin, Kaylynn Gross and James Eckstrom. Amy Roberts was the soloist accompanied by Lois Last on the piano. Interment was at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Grand Junction.

Arvis Gross was born April 6, 1923 to John and Margaret Ralle in Havelock, Iowa. To welcome her home was her sister, Lois, and to follow were three more sisters: Lavon, Arlene and Jan. Arvis attended school in Spencer, Iowa. Upon her graduation from high school, Arvis attended Mercy School of Nursing in Sioux City, Iowa. There she met Mary Gross and they became friends. Arvis would occasionally go home with Mary to visit and that was when she met the love of her life, Charles D. Gross, Mary’s brother. Arvis loved her career in nursing as it brought her many rewards in helping people who needed care.

Arvis and Chuck started seeing each other and on March 5, 1946 they were joined in marriage. To this union, Chuck and Arvis decided to expand their family by adopting a son, Edward Joseph Gross on October 23, 1951 and a daughter, Julie Anne Gross on March 4, 1956. They were a happy family of four and started their family life in a small old school house three miles east of Grand Junction and just north of the railroad tracks. After a few years, they purchased the home place of Chuck’s parents, John and Agnes Gross. In 1972, Chuck and Arvis sold the family farm and purchased an acreage on the south edge of Grand Junction, behind the Catholic Church where they both lived until Chuck passed away on June 3, 2010. Arvis continued to live there until January 28, 2017 when she went to live in assisted living at The Gardens in Jefferson, Iowa, where she lived until her passing on June 15, 2017.

Arvis had many talents. She loved to cook and she loved to sew and was very good at both. She later helped Chuck with his wood working projects. She learned to use the lathe and loved to make rolling pins and give them to her friends. She also tried her hand at painting to add a touch of individuality to her work. She quilted many afghans and gave them as gifts. Later she loved to sit and watch the birds come to her feeders, but she always had some words for the ornery squirrels that would rob the birds of their food. It was a good thing she couldn’t get her hands on those squirrels; who knows what might have happened!

In her later years, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis plagued Arvis but she never let that slow her down. She loved to go outside and sit in her chair and enjoy the sun. If Ed was mowing, she would watch him mow and naturally took breaks with him. Like any parent she was always concerned that something might happen to him, so she would be on watch. She also loved flowers and plants, so she would watch Julie make up the hanging baskets that hung on her porch in the summer.

Arvis was preceded in death by her parents, John and Margaret Ralle; two sisters, Lois and Lavon; and a son-in-law, Terry Drake. She is survived by her son, Edward Gross of Churdan and her daughter, Julie Drake of Ogden; four grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. She will be greatly missed by all those whose lives she touched, who are left behind.

Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home, Jefferson.