Patsie Sue Ross' Obituary
Patsie Sue Gillean Ross experienced God’s ultimate healing on Sunday, April 22, 2018 following complications from a stroke.
Patsie Sue Gillean was born in Mt. Pleasant, Texas on June 26, 1938 to K.L. and Lucille Walker Gillean. She was the oldest sibling to her brother Leonard Max and sister Nelda Lynn. Her childhood memories would tell of days spent playing in cotton fields where her father worked as a farmer, as well as pretending the tall sunflowers out behind her home were her “playmates”. She loved to spin stories about growing up in the country and living on the farm.
After graduating from Mt. Pleasant High School at the age of 16, Sue moved to Tyler, Texas and enrolled in Tyler Business College. It was there she obtained an associates degree in Business Education. She also met and married the love of her life and husband of 60 years, Tom Ross. After they married, she held several jobs in the business world in the DFW and Tyler areas before moving to Texarkana, Texas. She raised two children and worked as a legal secretary for Lavender, Rochelle, Barnette and Franks for many years.
Sue also served many roles in the church from serving alongside her husband during the years he was a deacon, to hospitality committees, Sunday school and youth group leader, to serving as treasurer and secretary on various councils and committees. She always found a way to give her time and talents back to God and His church.
Sue was a devoted wife and mother, always present at games, concerts and always standing beside her husband. Often referred to as “Tom and Mom”, as a couple they were a staple at all their children’s, grandchildren’s, and great-grandchildren’s events.
Sue Ross is preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Tom Ross, her father and mother K.L. and Lucille Gillean, her brother Max Gillean, and her sister Nelda Baker. She is survived by her son Kyle Ross and his wife Jill, her daughter Shanon Ross and her grandchildren Shelby Cheatham and Fiance Victoria Collie, Kyndall Scribner and husband Seth, Krystall Ross, Justin Lockhart, and Jackson Lockhart, as well as her great-grandchildren Allison Collie, Skylar Scribner, Kyra Scribner, and Lucas Slyby, along with many many sister-in-laws, cousins and extended family.
The family will receive friends at 11:00 AM Wednesday at Rader Funeral Home in Longview with service to follow at noon. Burial will take place at Hickory Hill Cemetery in Mt. Pleasant, TX.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a local literacy project as Sue loved to read and believed in the public library systems.
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