Obit: Ross, Martha (1917 – 2003)
Contact: History Buffs

----Surnames: Ross, Below, Eckes, Paone, Crain, Hille

----Source: The Journal-Standard (Freeport, Stephenson County, Ill.) 31 Dec. 2003

Ross, Martha (31 Jan. 1917 – 28 Dec. 2003)

KANKAKEE – Martha Ross, 86, of Kankakee, a former Freeport resident, died Sun. Dec. 28, 2003, at Riverside Medical Center in Kankakee.

Born on Jan. 31, 1917, in Marshfield, Wis., she was the daughter of Ernest Carl Below and Elinor Eckes. She married John R. Ross on Aug. 31, 1940, in Dubuque, Iowa. He died in 1992.

Martha has also previously lived in Weaverville, N.C.

A homemaker, she was a member of Manteno United Methodist Church in Manteno.

Surviving are two sons, Robert Jay (Sue) Ross of Manteno, and Michael D. (Carol) Ross of Las Vegas; three daughters, Rose Ann (Phil) Paone of Bettendorf, Iowa, Mary Jo (William) Crain of Huntsville, Ala., and Theresa (Dennis) Hille of Freeport; one brother, Harold E. Below of Stockton; 14 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; three brothers, Art, Pete and Roy Below; one grandson, Bradley Michael Hille; and one great-granddaughter, Kali Crain.

Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Wed. at Manteno Methodist Church, with burial in Chapel Hill Cemetery in Freeport. There will be a graveside service at 1 p.m. Fri. at the cemetery.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Wed. at the church.

A memorial fund has been established for Manteno Methodist Church.

Arrangements were by Bourbonnais Chapel of the Scheffler Funeral Homes.