DR. JAMES L. ROSS, PH.D.

WESTON and BANGKOK, Thailand – Dr. James L. Ross, Ph.D. died unexpectedly July 29, 2007, of natural causes in Kathmandu, Nepal. Dr. Ross was born Oct. 16, 1948, in Houlton, the son of Larry P. Ross and the late Thelma (Murphy) Ross. Dr. Ross graduated from Ricker Classical Institute in 1966 and from the University of Maine at Orono in 1970 with a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology. He received his Master of Arts in 1972 and his Ph.D. in 1981 in anthropology from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland. His dissertation fieldwork in the western mountains of Nepal inspired a lifetime love for Nepali and Asian cultures. He spoke fluent Nepali and returned to Kathmandu at any opportunity. His academic career included work as researcher, writer, community outreach director, principal investigator and assistant professor at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital and Akron University in Ohio, Nepal, India, London and the University of Maine. His career in non-profit organizations was devoted to improving health and living conditions in developing nations in Asia and Africa. Beginning in 1989, he worked for seven years in Bangladesh developing programs for child and maternal health, first for the Ford Foundation as program officer and then as acting country representative, and then for the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research/ Dhaka. In 2000, Dr. Ross joined Family Health International, FHI, returning to his beloved Nepal as country director for their HIV/AIDS programs. In the next four years, he greatly strengthened and expanded innovative HIV work in the country. In 2004, he moved to Nigeria as country director and chief of party for FHI’s largest project, the Global HIV/AIDS Initiative Nigeria; GHAIN, also one of USAID’s largest projects in Africa. He directed GHAIN from its inception in 2004 until May 2007, making dramatic inroads in HIV prevention, care and treatment in Nigeria. In June 2007, Ross was named senior director of Global Operations for the Asia-Pacific region, based in Bangkok, Thailand. According to Sheila Mitchell, FHI’s senior vice president of Global Operations, “Jim was one of the most dynamic leaders at FHI. He accomplished an enormous amount, and endeared himself to legions of people in the process. He was a force at FHI, one of only a few country directors who served in both Asia and Africa, earning stellar reputations in each place. He stressed the importance of partnership and teamwork for long term results, and he approached this with a strong sense of humor.” Dr. Ross leaves a worldwide circle of friends and colleagues, with whom he loved to share jokes and other tidbits via email. He was known for his dry Maine humor, and for his love of fishing at East Grand Lake, his favorite place in the world. Dr. Ross was predeceased by his mother; his uncle, Russel Ross; his father-in-law, Frederic Warman; and his sister-in-law, Joleen Britton. In addition to his father, Dr. Ross is survived by his wife of 36 years, Cheryl L. (Warman) Ross of Weston; his son, Benjamin J. Ross, a student at Florida Atlantic University’s honors college in Jupiter, Fla.; his aunt, Mary Ryder and her husband, Cecil, of Yarmouth; his aunt, Joan Ross of Cape Elizabeth; his good friend and cousin, Richard Rhoda and his wife, Cecilia, of Houlton; his mother-in-law, Mrs. Shirley Warman of Ludlow; sister-in-law, Rhonda Cassidy of Falmouth; brother-in-law, Douglas Britton of Bangor; brother-in-law, Kenton Warman and his wife, Karen, of Ludlow and several nephews, nieces and cousins. Memorial services for Dr. Ross have been held in Nepal, Thailand and Nigeria, and FHI’s office in Kathmandu was closed July 31 in his honor. A family memorial service will be held 2 p.m. Aug. 12, at James’ home, Weston. Contributions in memory of Dr. Ross may be made to these organizations, The Umbrella Foundation in Nepal, Wings of the World, 16 Longview Road, South Salem, NY 10590 or The International Rett Syndrome Association, 9121 Piscataway Road, Suite 2-B, Clinton, MD 20735 or send in care of Dunn Funeral Home, 11 Park St., Houlton, ME 04730.