Billy Ross Sr

Billy B. Ross, Sr.
Age  84, of Wilmington, Ohio, passed away in his sleep, Wednesday morning, October 24, 2012 at the Hillspring Health Care & Rehabilitation Center in Springboro, Ohio.

He was born March 19, 1928 in Hazard, KY, son of  the late Ballard & Ola (Bowling) Ross.  On June 21, 1952 in Rapid City, SD, where he was in the USAF, he married Ruby Joyce Hall, of Morehead, Kentucky.

Billy played football in high school and was one of the first to be in the Hazard High School Hall of Fame.  Billy attended Morehead State University before entering the Air Force, where he spent 30 years in various positions, retiring as a Senior Master Sergeant.  He attended the First Church of God, Wilmington.  He taught Sunday School for many years and held other positions at both the Wilmington Assembly of God and the First Church of God.  He also held Bible Studies at the Wilmington Nursing Home for 20 years.  He loved the Lord and was a testimony until the end. He was a member of the Wilmington Kiwanis Club, having served as a past president and was a Kentucky Colonel.
In addition to his wife, other surviving family members are his 3 daughters- Joyce (Doug) Ward of Wilmington, OH,  Debbie (Raymond) Umstead Jr., Carmel, IN, & Sandy (Keith) Stagge of Waynesville, OH; son- Billy B. (Paula) Ross Jr., Wilmington; 10 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren & a sister- Betty (Dr. Thurman) Henderson, Cincinnati, Ohio;  2 step-sisters- Brenda  (Ted) Loman, Hamilton, Ohio & Rhonda (Eddie) Gardner, Waynesville, Ohio.
In addition to his parents,  Billy was preceded in death by his step-mother- Bessie Ross and a brother- Rev. Bobby Ross.
Funeral Services will be held 1:00 P.M., Saturday, October 27, 2012 at the Wilmington Assembly of God Church, 609 West Locust Street with  Pastor Larry Speelman of the First Church of God & Pastor Keith Stagge officiating.  Interment will follow in the Clinton County Memory Gardens, Wilmington, Ohio.  The Wright Patterson Air Force Base Memorial Honor Guard will accord the military honors.
Friends will be received from 11 AM until the time of services at the church.
Billy loved his Lord, served his country and loved his family and friends.  He will be sadly missed by many.  Contributions in Billy's memory may be made to the First Church of God, 200 A Street, Wilmington, Ohio 45177 or the Alzheimer's Assn- Miami Valley Chapter.  For more information and to sign the online guest book, please go to www.edgingtonfuneralhomes.com.  Fisher-Edgington Funeral Home, Wilmington is serving the family.

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