WINDSOR, VT

Ethel W. Gross, 96, a resident of Windsor, passed away Monday, May 27 at the Cedar Hill Health Care Center in Windsor with her family at her side.

She was born on March 16, 1923 in New York City, NY the daughter of William and Elizabeth (McGowan) Bellion. She attended New York schools along with her siblings. Ethel married Fred Gross on June 14, 1942. They were married for sixty years until his passing on September 2, 2002.

She is survived by her two children; Frederick W. Gross and his wife, Jean and Judith Honsinger and her husband, Charles, all of Windsor; five grandchildren, Janet Frogge, Steven Gross, Anna Honsinger, Charles Honsinger and his wife, Kristen, Kelly Cafferty and her husband, Michael; five great grandchildren, Jackson, Jorja, Jameson, Benjamin and Charlotte. Ethel was predeceased by her brothers, Norman Bellion, Arthur Bellion and Warren Bellion and her sisters, Mabel Nutley, Doris Black and Edith Zapke.

Mrs. Gross had many interesting jobs during the course of her working career. She started in New York City with AT&T as a long distance telephone operator at the beginning of World War II. Fred and Ethel eventually moved from NYC to Bethpage, LI. Fred enlisted in the US Navy and was stationed at the Navy's Fire Control School in Bremerton, WA and Ethel went out to stay with Fred and worked at Boeing in Seattle during part of the war. She returned to LI and worked in Hicksville with the Long Island Lighting Company (LILCO) till she relocated with her husband to Shaftbury, VT. She worked as a dispatcher for the VT State Police in Shaftsbury and later worked in Bennington as secretary to the Vermont State's Attorney. She eventually moved with Fred to Spring Hill, FL to join several family members in that area of Florida. She relocated to Windsor several years after the passing of her beloved husband, Fred.

Mrs. Gross was an active member of the West Arlington, VT Methodist Church and the Methodist Church in Spring Hill, FL. She had always been an avid gardener and was a member of the Shaftsbury Garden Club. She was also a member of the gray ladies volunteers at the Bennington Hospital. She learned to play the organ when she moved to Florida and loved to play all the old time songs with Fred as her singing partner. She took up quilting later in life and made beautiful quilts that are treasured by her family. She and her husband loved to dance and she taught some of the younger staffers at Cedar Hill some of her classic dance moves. Ethel had a positive encouraging nature about her that brought out the best in people. Whenever she looked back on her life she would always say, "I have no complaints, I have had a beautiful life."

Ethel's family would like to thank the staff at Cedar Hill Continuing Care Community for the excellent care and support that she received on a daily basis. The facility is such a valuable asset for our seniors to get the supportive care they need.

Visitation will be held Sunday, June 9 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM at the Knight Funeral Home in Windsor. The funeral service will begin at 3:00 PM. Rev. Paul Voltmer, Pastor of the Trinity Evangelical Free Church in Windsor will officiate. Private committal services for the family members will follow in the Ascutney Cemetery in Windsor.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations may be made to Memory Care Activity Fund at 92 Cedar Hill Drive, Windsor, VT 05089. The Knight Funeral Home in Windsor is entrusted with the arrangements.