Dr. James Dehnert Gross, 77, of Osprey, Fla., died January 12, 2007.
Born November 15, 1929 in Harvey, Il., Jim had resided in Osprey since 1993. His medical career included 31 years of service as director of laboratories in the pathology department of St. Mary’s Hospital, Streator, IL. A Sigma Chi fraternity brother at the University of Chattanooga, he graduated as class valedictorian in 1951. He received his medical degree from Vanderbilt University Medical School and joined the U.S. Navy in 1955. He completed a pathology residency in 1959 at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Md., and was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in 1961. He received an Honorable Discharge in 1968.
In 1997 he received the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s “Distinguished Alumni Award.” In 2004 he published his second book, a self improvement guide, entitled “ONE: Returning to Wholeness”. He was a parishioner of St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Sarasota, Fla., and a former parishioner of St. Anthony’s Church, Streator, Il.
He is survived by his wife, Marilyn; daughter, Kathleen Gross, M.D. of St. Joseph, Mich.; three sons, Terrence Gross, M.D. of Winter Park, Fla., Brian Gross and Kevin Gross, both of Chicago, Il.; and twin granddaughters.
A funeral mass will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 2506 Gulf Gate Drive, Sarasota. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to All Faiths Food Bank, 717 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota, Fla., 34232.