BANGOR – Gail Ann (Jones) Gross, 72, passed away April 18, 2008, surrounded by her family after a courageous battle with cancer. She was born Sept. 29, 1935, in Hartland, to Charles Ellis and Eva Burton Jones. She graduated from Hartland Academy in 1956. She attended Husson College, formerly known as Maine School of Commerce and graduated in 1958 with an associate degree in secretarial studies. She was a sorority member of ETE. She remained at Husson after graduating and began her career, where she worked for five presidents as an administrative assistant, the late Chesley Husson Sr., Dr. Barkav Kibarian, Franklin Peters, Delmont Merrill and current president, William Beardsley. She went on to work in the Alumni Development Office as an alumni development associate, assisting in maintaining alumni records, providing updated alumni information to the director of Alumni Development, assisting with various fund raising activities including many campaigns for the advancement of the college. She also worked closely to coordinate the many business breakfasts and graduation ceremonies. She continued in this role until her retirement in 2000. After 42 years, she was the longest standing continuous employee of Husson College. Gail was dedicated to her children and to her career at Husson. She loved spending time with her family and close friends, gardening and taking care of her home. She believed in the value of a secondary education. In her retirement years, she enjoyed playing cards on Thursdays, shopping and traveling to Disney and Hershey, Penn. She enjoyed all of the family birthday celebrations, holidays and spending time at Donnie’s camp on Green Lake and she especially looked forward to going to the Maine Coast for lobster each summer. We will all remember Gail’s words of wisdom “Save your fork!” She was predeceased by her parents; her brother, Allen Jones; brother, Burton Jones; and sister-in-law, Dorothy Jones. She is survived by her children, Cheryl Russell and son-in-law, Brent Russell, of Carmel, and their children, Craig Rice and his wife, Barbara, of Etna, Michael Russell and his fiancee, Cindy Arrington, of Clyde, N.C., and Robert Russell of Carmel; her son, Donald Gross and daughter-in-law, Jennifer, of Hermon, and their children, Colton and Taylor Gross; daughter, Marcia Wood and son-in-law, Ray Wood, of Eddington, and their children, Trey and Sarah Wood. She is also survived by several great-grandchildren; and leaves behind her very special feline friend and companion, Fluffy. In addition, she is survived by sister-in-law, Edith Jones of York; a special niece, Deatra and her husband, Don Trenholm; as well as their children, Heather and Stephen; nephews, Greg and his wife, Becky Jones, of Penobscot, Scott Jones and Sue Hersey of New Hampshire. She will be remembered by very close friends, Carol Ware of Bangor and Nancy Paul of Orono; as well as her card-playing friends and many other special friends and of course, her neighbors on Birch Street. A celebration of life memorial service will be held 6 p.m. Monday, April 21, at Brookings-Smith, 133 Center St., Bangor, with the Rev. Robert T. Carlson, friend, officiating. The family invites relatives and friends to share conversation and refreshments at Brookings-Smith Family Center, 163 Center St., Bangor, after the service. Interment will be at Pine Grove Cemetery, Hartland, at a later date. Gifts in her memory may be made to CancerCare of Maine, care of Healthcare Charities, P.O. Box 931, Bangor, ME 04402-0931 or Husson College, care of Development Office, One College Circle, Bangor, ME 04401, for a scholarship to be named in her memory. Condolences may be expressed at www.BrookingsSmith.com.
GAIL A. (JONES) GROSS
