Ralph Gross was born January 12, 1934 at Kosciusko, Mississippi, a son of the late John Robert Gross and Mary Kathleen Wallis Gross.

A five-sport standout at Nashville High School (AR), graduating in 1952 and later attending Henderson State Teachers College and Fuhr School of Business. He also served in the United States Marine Corps on Okinawa, Japan in 1954-56.

He retired as purchasing manager at Central Maloney after 35 years of service. He was a former member of the Pine Bluff (AR) Jaycees and was once named “Man of the Year”. He was the “Key Man” of the Pine Bluff Junior Chamber of Commerce in 1958. Ralph passed away February 5, 2003.

He was survived by his wife, Rosemary Preston Gross, to whom he was married on June 27, 1958 at Pine Bluff; two sons, John Preston Gross and Jeffery Glenn Gross; a sister Peggy Drake; and two grandchildren Stephanie Leigh Gross and John Preston Gross, Jr.