Charles (Charlie/Chuck) Ross passed away at his home in Mill Valley, California on December 24, 2019 after a long and brave battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Barbara, and his daughter, Leslie. He was predeceased by his twin brother George Ross who passed away in 2017, and his elder brother John Ross who served in the Coast Guard during World War II and was killed in military actions in the late stages of World War II.
After graduation from high school in Medfield, Massachusetts, and following his studies at Norwich University in New Hampshire, Charlie joined the army paratroops and made many a jump. He was stationed in Japan during the concluding years of World War II. He also completed studies at Boston University and graduated from the Boston University College of Industrial Technology.
After working in the mechanical (aircraft maintenance) department at Pan American World Airways (at JFK airport in NYC), he was hired as a professional flight engineer (FEO) for Pan Am. He was a consummate professional – and he absolutely loved his 30+ year career with Pan Am. He traveled the world and enjoyed telling stories of his experiences and adventures and all the foreign places he felt so privileged to visit.
Originally based in NYC, Charlie moved to relocate to Berlin, Germany in the late 1950s. At that point, Pam Am was flying “the corridor” from West Berlin to the world. Later, in the 1970s, he was engaged with transporting US military troops out of Vietnam and/or taking troops for brief respites to locales in Australia and elsewhere.
From start to his retirement finish, his career with Pam Am was fully dedicated to not only the glories of “travel” in general but also to the importance of global communication/exploration. He visited so many world regions during his career with Pan Am – and he always returned home with fascinating stories and enthusiasm for his world travels. He was a consummate professional and loved his work. His perspective and experiences are cherished!
When he retired from Pan Am flight crew, Charlie preferred to be fully “grounded,” and he devoted his abundant energy to land-based activities both equestrian and rural. He loved his ranch abode in Napa County (Pope Valley) in northern California and he further devoted his time to rural activities, landscaping, and architectural projects. He also became an active and celebrated participant in the “endurance riding” community and went on many rides with his horses and even won some significant awards.
Charlie loved life – and all the good things involved. We remember him with great love.