Hope Gross

Hope Jesse (Dishaw) Gross, former long time York County resident, was born February 19, 1919 on the family farm in Greely County, NE, to Edward and Marie (Beck) Dishaw. She graduated from Cotesfield High School, and afterward moved into Scotia, NE, with her family. At age 19, Hope moved to take a house cleaning position in Lushton, NE in the home of Reverend Maude Mann. She also did house cleaning and other duties for the Chris Buller family just outside of Lushton. It was here, where mutual friends conspired to introduce Hope to Roger F. Gross, at a card game. It must have been love at first sight as from that time on they were a team. They married two years later on November 15, 1939 at Cotesfield.

Roger was in the Army at the time of their marriage, spending time on Military Bases in New Jersey, Virginia, California and ending in Champagne, IL. Hope worked where ever she was able to be where Roger was stationed, but her favorite job was in California where she was to become one of the members of a special group of small ladies who collectively became known as, “Rosie the Riverter.” Yes, she was so small back then that she fit all the way inside to the ends of the inner airplane wings and bucked those rivets in the interior of the wings. She loved that job the most, not only because she was able to be close to Roger, but also she was helping her country at the same time. Once Roger was discharged out of the Army, they settled in Rantoul, IL. While there, they worked side by side on the farm of Bud and Lena Brownsfield. After a few years there, they moved back to their home state of Nebraska and set up their own farm just outside of McCool Jct., Nebraska in the late 1940’s.

In 1953, two boys, Jerry Don and Allen Henry joined Hope and Roger on their farm. Eight years later, a daughter, Debra Louise was to join them as well. Hope and Roger continued to farm just outside of McCool Jct. up until the early 1980’s. It was time to retire then, but that didn’t slow Hope or Roger up one bit.

Purchasing a home in York, NE, they moved into the “city” in 1982. While living in York, they remained active in their home church in McCool Jct. as well as the York Senior Club, taking many trips with them and meeting many new people. They also traveled across Europe, Australia, Mexico and Hope’s favorite place, the Holy Land. She and Roger also participated in many mission trips to help repair or even build from the bottom up, United Methodist Churches across the poorer parts of the South and Southwest of the United States and into Mexico. They were also big contributors of their time and efforts into Epworth Village in York. In Hope’s spare time, she enjoyed water exercises with the York Senior Citizens at the Community Center.

In September of 2006, Hope and Roger moved down to Irving, TX to live closer to their daughter, at The Hearthstone of Irving, where Hope continued to be very active in the social circle of the facility up to the time of her illness. She was lovingly referred to as “The Puzzle Lady” by other residents and staff because of her avid love of putting together jig saw puzzles in her spare time. Always the seamstress, she also did alterations and other sewing needs for residents and staff.

Hope became critically ill in early October. She was in the Baylor Medical Center for a week in Irving, and then transferred to Kindred Long Term Acute Care Hospital in Arlington, TX for another week. It was decided by her care team and Hope that she was not going to recover and Hope asked to be allowed to return home to the apartment she shared with Roger at Hearthstone of Irving, under the care of Vitas Hospice. She returned home on Sunday, October 19 and peacefully slipped away to her Heavenly Home on October 21, 2008 with Roger, Allen, Debra and son-in-law, Al Lancaster, at her side. She and Roger were just three weeks shy of their 69th wedding anniversary.

Hope is survived by her husband, Roger of Irving, TX; sons, Jerry D Gross of Albuquerque, NM and Allen H. (Roberta) Gross of Tucson, AZ; daughter Debra L. (Al) Lancaster of Irving; TX, four grandchildren, David (Krista) Gross of Durham, NC, Summer Gross of Brookings, SD, Mitchell Gross of Sioux Falls, SD, and Heath (Tiny) Slagle of Houston, TX and five great-grandsons, Journey, Keeper and Freedom Gross of Brookings, SD, along with Jeffrey and Nathan Slagle of Houston, TX. She was preceded in death by her parents and her four sisters, Edna, Nola, Lyma and Joan.

Hope will be greatly missed by her immediate family along with many, many extended family and friends all over Nebraska and the United States. She made friends everywhere she went and her address book is a testament to the many she continued to keep in contact with over the years.

Funeral services were held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, October 25, 2008 at the United Methodist Church in McCool Jct., NE with the Reverend Jeff Adams officiating. Burial followed at the Greenwood Cemetery, York, NE. Memorials may be directed to the family.