Samuel Eugene Cross Sr.

Samuel E. Cross, Sr., 93, beloved family patriarch, left this earth on Sunday morning, November 27th, 2016 in Anthem, AZ. His family surrounded him. Sam is survived by his daughter, Lynn Caldwell (husband Craig) of Anthem, AZ, his daughter-in-law, Carolyn Cross (Kansas City), his 5 grand-children and 11 great-grand-children. his sister-in-law, Marilyn Adams of Overland Park, KS., and many nephews and nieces in Kansas,Texas, Arizona and Iowa. Sam, a.k.a., “Gene”, was preceded in death by his wife Martha, sons, Samuel E. Cross, Jr. and Timothy Collier Cross, his grand-son, Samuel E. Cross IV, his parents, Walter Augustus and Etta Mae (Hall) Cross, and 3 siblings, Ivan, Ames, and Hazel. Sam was born in Benton, Iowa, 3-4-23, and was raised there on the family farm. He attended college at NW Mo. State College where he was a basketball star. His college career was interrupted by his service in the U. S. Army in the Fiji Islands from 1943-45. He married his college sweetheart, Martha Miner, in 1946 following his discharge. His 30 year career with Ford Motor company saw him rise in the ranks to upper executive levels, serving in positions all over the country. He and Martha raised their children, Samuel, Jr., Lynn and Timothy in Kansas City, Mo. till the first of many transfers in 1963 took them to Arizona, then Tennessee, Michigan, New Jersey and Northern California. His retirement took him back to Kearney, Mo. where he and Martha purchased a “gentleman’s farm” and raised Polled Herefords till a later return to suburbia in Gladstone, MO. He will always be thought of fondly and with love and respect by family and friends, by co-workers, and by the people he lived with in his waning years at Riverstone Retirement Community (Kansas City, MO) , Las Fuentes Independent and Assisted Living (AZ) and, most recently, at Anthem Senior Living (AZ). A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am, Tuesday, December 27, 2016 at White Chapel Funeral Home, Gladstone, MO. Memorial gifts may be directed to: Hospice of the Valley in Phoenix, AZ— 1510 E. Flower St. Phoenix, AZ 85014 American Diabetes Association—see the website or phone 1-800-DIABETES You may contact the family at: Lynn and Craig Caldwell [email protected] 623-533-7044