‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day…’ 2 Timothy 4:7-8.
Barbara Ann (nee Jones) (Cooper) Kross, 91, of Chester Township, passed away peacefully at home on Nov. 24, 2024, after a long battle with senile dementia.
She was born in Cleveland, to Norman and Lillian (nee Morgan) Jones on Dec. 22, 1932. She was a 1951 graduate of John Adams High School, in Cleveland, where she played flute and piccolo in the marching band and orchestra.
Barbara went on to Kent State University to work on a degree in education but left college after a year to get married and start a family. She had three daughters, Debra, Karen and Laura.
Barbara worked at several different places, including Bell Telephone and Motch & Merryweather, before going back to college at night to finish her degree in education. She graduated from Kent State University in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree.
Barbara taught first grade at St. Justin Martyr for two years and then first and third grade at Ledgemont Schools. She went on to get a master’s degree from Kent State in 1974 in the area of Learning Disabilities and Behavior Disorders. She started the first unit at Ledgemont Elementary School for children with learning disabilities and taught that class for 18 years. Barbara retired in 1992 after 25 years of teaching.
Barbara met Matthew Kross at church in 1979 and they were married in 1980. They were together for 44 years at the time of her passing. They moved from Mentor on the Lake to Chester Township in 1982.
Barbara was a born again Christian who loved the Lord. She enjoyed studying the Bible and led several Bible studies over the years. She was an Elder in the Presbyterian Church with focus on the worship service. She taught Sunday School and helped with church youth groups. She led the Chapel Circle for many years at Christ Presbyterian Church in Chesterland.
She loved listening to music, singing, cooking, traveling and collecting Teddy Bears. She was proud of her Welsh heritage, especially their love of singing, and over the years attended many annual Welsh songfests (Gymanfa Ganu) in the U.S. and Canada with either her husband or her sister.
Barbara sang in church choirs starting at age 12 and continued until she was 87. She sang for 45 years in the Lake County Messiah Chorus. She taught herself how to play the piano and enjoyed learning new pieces and playing for herself at home.
Barbara loved children and teaching. After retiring from teaching, she served on the Board of the Christ Presbyterian Church Pre-School for several years and helped teach when needed at several different pre-schools.
Barbara is survived by her husband, Matthew A. Kross; children, Debra Duy, Karen (Patrick) Stewart and Laura Quinones; eight grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Betty; and brother, Thomas.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at Amazing Grace Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 5632 Wilson Mills Road, Highland Heights, on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, at 11 a.m. Friends will be received at the church from 9:30-11 a.m. and a brief social gathering will be at the church after the service from 12-1 p.m.
She will be cremated and her ashes buried in Chester Township Cemetery during a private service.
Donations in memory of Barbara may be made to Amazing Grace Church (address above); or the Hospice of the Western Reserve, 17876 St. Clair Ave., Cleveland, OH 44110.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.gattozziandson.com for the Kross family.
‘… Well done, good and faithful servant! …’ Matthew 25:21
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