Richard E. Ross

 Richard E. Ross, 63, of Rockford, IL, formerly of Moline, IL, passed away Sunday March 4, 2018 at Swedish American Hospital, Belvidere, IL.
 Funeral services will be 1:30 p.m. Friday, March 9th, at Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory, 3030 7th Ave., Rock Island, with visitation one hour prior to services. Burial will be at Chippiannock Cemetery, Rock Island. Memorials may be made to Leukemia Research Foundation.

Richard was born August 3, 1954 in Moline, Ill., a son of Kenneth and Myrtle Genevieve Griffith Ross. He graduated from Rock Island High School, Class of 1972. He received his Bachelor’s Degree from Augustana College, Rock Island, Ill. He pursued graduated studies and received his Master’s Degree in Physics from Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, Ill., and then earned his PhD. in Medical Physics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisc.

 Richard was a college professor and educator with Scott Community College, Black Hawk College, and lastly with Rock Valley Community College. Richard was part of several professional educator associations. While at Rock Valley Richard and some students under his mentorship were honored by NASA for their discovery of an unknown asteroid near earth.  
 Richard enjoyed cycling and music. He played guitar with the Moonlight Orchestra of Rockford. He was a huge jazz fan which he shared with his cousin Heather.  He was a huge Wisconsin Badgers and the Green Bay Packers fan.

 Surviving are his siblings and their spouses, David Ross, Moline, Donald and Dee Ross, Davenport, Iowa, Kathy and Jim Wilbert, Burlington, Iowa, and Karen Overcash, Rock Island; many nephews and nieces, including Kenneth Moran and Deena Harroun, and great nephews and great nieces, including Haley Moran; cousins, Heather Monson and Tom and Zilpha Grooms; and special friends, Larry and Donna Vworschak.
 He was preceded in death by his parents.

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