In Memoriam: Vernon Frank Ross (October 31, 1940 - February 19, 2024)
Vernon Frank Ross passed away on Feb. 19 following emergency surgery and complications from an aortic aneurysm. He was surrounded by family members, friends, and his longtime partner, Robert Lade.
Born on Oct. 31, 1940, to I.V. Ross and Tusie N. Ross of Lewisburg, MS, Vern was a graduate of Hernando (MS) High School, Millsaps College, University of Mississippi, and the University of Mississippi Medical School (Class of ’65). He was drafted into the Army in 1966, and trained as a flight surgeon, earning the rank of Captain. Vern was stationed at several bases in South Vietnam, earning a citation & Air Medal for participating in more than 25 aerial missions over hostile territory from November 1966 to March 1967. He was also presented with the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, and a Bronze Star with “V” device., and he received an Honorable Discharge on July 30,1968.
Less than a month later, Vern earned his license to practice medicine in Washington State, and two weeks after that he started work at Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound in Seattle (now Kaiser Permanente of Washington), where he remained for nearly 30 years. Vern worked at GHC’S Northgate Clinic as a family practice physician for five years and then transferred to Group Health’s newly formed Emergency Department in 1973. Four years later he became a Board-Certified Emergency Physician. In 1995, he retired from medical practice.
Vern remained very active in his retirement years, managing a portion of his financial portfolio, and relishing the in-depth research he did prior to buying or selling a stock. He left many spiral notebooks filled with financial data.
When the markets closed for the day, he’d head to the tennis court. His usual routine was singles tennis five days a week, with doubles tennis added to two of those days. He also loved online bridge, his grand piano, reading, and politics, a love he gained from his father, a two-term Mississippi state representative in Jackson.
While he loved his routines, he was also incredibly curious about the world around him and was always up for an adventure and/or learning experience. The latest adventures were a tour to Machu Pichu & the Galapagos Islands as well as 10 days to Montana, Wyoming, and Yellowstone. He was adventurous but had zero interest in seeing Devil’sTower, which Robert saw when Vern was not traveling…a magnificent sight!
Vern had a love of the English language. The twist of a phrase. The flow of words. He also loved Spanish. He made multiple trips to a language school in Salamanca, Spain, staying with the same non-English speaking family. He still has the “gifted” key to their home.
Besides his notebooks filled with financial data, he left notebooks of quotes he had heard or read. And he put many of his own thoughts on paper. A recently discovered note:
· Clean and organize the office area. Toss all old medical publications and financial publications.
· Read more non-fiction. Maybe every other book will be nonfiction.
· Continue physical activities-stretching, more doubles tennis, consider adding “beginning” golf.
· Be more relaxed while driving.
· Curse less on the tennis court.
· Travel to: Europe or Mexico or Hawaii or Australia or South America or Central America.
· Study more Spanish.
Vern did not suffer fools, but he was incredibly patient and kind when he saw someone acting in good faith. He loved his friends and his family members, including the families of his two sisters, his medical family, and his tennis family. And he loved Robert, his life partner of 45-plus years.
A private Celebration of Life will be held in the spring. In accordance with his wishes, Vern’s body will be handled by Recompose and returned to soil.
