Lyle Ross

Lyle Mason Ross died peacefully on Wednesday, May 26 ^th , at the age of 79, at the St. Anthony Park Nursing Home.

Lyle was born July 28, 1930, in Fairmont, MN, the first child of Merl Mason and Winona Ardis (Schnebly) Ross. He graduated from Albert Lea High School and attended Winona State Teachers' College, where he joined the National Guard. In fall 1950 he transferred to the University of Minnesota's School of Agriculture. His National Guard unit was called into duty and he served 11 months in Korea as Sargent First Class. He returned to the University of Minnesota, but after his father passed on Lyle went back to the home farm in spring 1953 where he helped his mother raise four younger siblings.

On December 12, 1958, he and Lois L. Bleichwehl were married. He completed his B.S. in Agriculture and eventually earned a Master's Degree in Agricultural Economics. After working as a fieldman for the Southwestern Minnesota Farm Manager's Association in Worthington, Lyle set up Triman Farm Business Service in Fargo, and later took a job with the Agricultural Extension Service in Benson and Alexandria. The family moved to Alexandria, and in 1976 Lyle developed Ross Farm Business Service. For twenty years he enjoyed serving clients in western and central MN with business accounting, income tax preparation, and annual reports.

Lyle was an avid reader and knowledgeable about many topics. He enjoyed showing his Indian artifacts and teaching Native American history to elementary school classes. He loved gardening, photography, genealogy, and woodworking, and he passed those skills on to his children. He and his children planted many trees on their Lake Victoria property in Alexandria. Lyle and Lois loved road travel, and in their 50 years together they visited every state except Alaska and Hawaii.

Lyle will be missed by his loving wife and their children, Rebecca Ross (Richard Wolff) in Redondo Beach, CA; Drew (Kirsten Fischer) in St. Paul; Craig (Amanda) in Littleton, CO; and Scott Louis (Velvet) in Alexandria. They have seven grandchildren: Blake Wolff, Ava Fischer-Ross, Shea Ross and Jolie and Lara Hunter, and Aurora and Veronica Ross. Lyle is survived by his sister, Myrtle Kucera (Montgomery, MN), his brothers Arlan (Anoka, MN) and Harvey (Tucson, AZ), and his sister-in-law, Bea (Walla Walla, WA). He is preceded in death by his brother, Richard.

Service was held on Monday, May 31 ^st , 2010 at 11:00am at BRADSHAW, 678 Snelling Avenue South, St. Paul, MN. Visitation was held one hour prior to the service. Private interment was at Hudson Cemetery, Hudson Township, MN.