John Laird Ross, 73, passed away on March 17, 2020 at home surrounded by his family after a long battle with cancer.

John was born in Recife, Brazil April 6, 1946 to Archie and Katharine Ross who were living there while on business. They moved back to the states a few years later and he grew up in Ardmore, Pennsylvania for most of his youth. He spent his high school years at Bordentown Military Institute then went on to the University of Toledo. It was while there he met and married the love of his life he affectionately called St. Sue.

After graduating from U. of Toledo and ROTC he was assigned to Schofield Barracks in Hawaii where he and his new bride spent one glorious year that neither of them forgot. 1st Lt John Ross was sent to Vietnam in 1969 where he was awarded the Bronze Star. The discipline and patriotism he learned in the Army never left him, as friends and family will attest. It made him amply prepared for his next 42 years in the private sector. John made his career in the medical device industry which culminated as Global VP, Health Economics for Medtronic and later KCI-Kinetic Concepts.

In 2011, John and St. Sue retired to Edgecomb, Maine where he spent his summers at his family cottage on Squirrel Island to be near both their daughters and four grandchildren. He volunteered at the Maine Maritime Museum as a docent which he thoroughly enjoyed and treasured. Their last adventures were spent on a yearly trip to Hawaii with Sue’s sister and brother-in-law, Beth and Doug Henson. They looked forward each year to returning to where their love story truly began. One of their favorite things to do would be to sit out on the moonlit veranda nightly, while John would serenade his guests with songs of John Denver whilst playing either his banjo, guitar or ukulele.

John is survived by his wife, Sue Ross; daughter, Jennifer Ross Stoll and her husband Matt of Cary, North Carolina; daughter, Cara Ross Gaffney and her husband Michael of Edgecomb; four grandchildren, Madeline Stoll of Washington ,D.C., Christian Stoll of Cary, North Carolina, Finnegan Gaffney of Edgecomb and Ross Gaffney of Edgecomb; his sisters, Katharine Cole of Elberta, Alabama, Carol Linfoot of Paoli, Pennsylvania and Robin Schoen Bushman and her husband Ralph Bushman of Wilton, New Hampshire; his sister-in-law Beth Henson and her husband Doug Henson of Southboro, Massachusetts; and his brother-in-law Eric Seidel and his wife Donna Seidel of Tuscon, Arizona; as well as many nieces and nephews he adored and was extremely proud of.

Due to current circumstances there will be a memorial on Squirrel Island at a later date.

In lieu of flowers please consider donating to: mainemaritimemuseum.org-Under the tab Give and then Donate.

Hall’s of Boothbay has care of the arrangements. To extend online condolences, please visit hallfuneralhomes.com