Donald H. Gross

Memorial Services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, December 28^th at the Daniel Funeral Home in St. Cloud for Donald (Don) Henry Gross age 75 of St. Cloud.  He passed away suddenly on Tuesday, December 18, 2018.  Visitation will be from 10:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. at Daniel Funeral Home. Inurnment with honors will be in the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery, Little Falls. 

Don was born on July 26^th, 1943 in St. Cloud to Alphonse “Pat” and Margaret (Ziebol) Gross.   He attended St. Anthony grade school, Central and Tech High School.  Don enlisted in the Navy in 1960.  He was trained at the Naval Training Center in San Diego, CA.  During his time in the Navy, Don was a boiler tender or as they were also known a “snipe”.  His last duty station was aboard the destroyer tender USS Frontier (AD-25).  In 1964, Don was honorably discharged as a boiler Tender Third Class.  Don took his skills as a boiler tender to Columbia Steamship Company where he worked the Great Lakes aboard the long serving ore boat SS Middletown.  After leaving the Great Lakes, Don went to work for the State of Minnesota at St. Cloud State University in the boiler plant, retiring in 2006.  Don married Mary Kaye Schmitt at Holy Spirit Catholic Church.  He was a member of the Eagles Club and the Waite Park American Legion Silver Star Post #428.

Don spent his spare time keeping busy with vegetable and flower gardens, tinkering on any and everything, visiting with the neighbors, reading (mostly history books), watching sports and road trips to visit his children and granddaughters.  He was a great cook but was known for his rhubarb berry pies which he shared with his friends and neighbors. 

Don is survived by his wife, Mary Kaye; children, Karin (Kirk) Anderson of Fargo, ND and Aaron Gross of Blacksburg, VA; his well-loved granddaughters, Kathryn “Katy” (8) and Hannah (6) Anderson; brother, Jerry; sister, Patricia Larson; and many nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews and friends. 

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Alphonse (Junie) Gross, James (Jim) Gross; sisters,
Nancy (Bonnie) Gross, Linda Peternell and Mary Kay Gross; and his parents-in-law, Richard and Marie Schmitt.

We would like to thank the First Responders who came to his aid.