Lula H. Ross

Lula Horst Ross, 97, of Sarasota, Florida passed away Feb. 15. 2017 with her children by her side. Lula was born Dec. 9. 1919 in Clear Spring, Maryland, to Michael and Florence Horst and had 8 siblings. She married Raymond Eby on February 20, 1940. Lula and Raymond had 4 children and worked their dairy farm in Hagerstown, Maryland. Widowed at age 32, Lula continued to raise her children on the farm. She would host children on her farm from urban centers through the Fresh Air Fund, offering summers in the country. She married I. Mark Ross on June 6, 1959 and moved to Kidron, Ohio where I. Mark pastored Sonnenberg Mennonite Church. Lula and I. Mark had 2 children and moved to Waynesboro, Virginia where I. Mark pastored Springdale Mennonite Church. They relocated to Sarasota, Florida in 1966 to pastor Newtown Gospel Chapel. Lula served in the Women’s Missionary and Service Commission, and taught Sunday school and Bible school throughout. She completed nursing school in Sarasota and was an LPN at Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Plymouth Harbor and Merrill Gardens. She served on the board of directors at Sunnyside Village and did years of volunteer work for Mennonite Central Committee. Lula loved travel and enjoyed trips to Europe and South America visiting children living abroad, among many others. Her delight was her 7 children, 25 grandchildren, 38 great-grandchildren and 18 great-great-grandchildren. Her strength and grace, courage and wit remained a joy to her family and those who knew her to the end of her days. Her faith was a constant encouragement to her family and she was a member of Bahia Vista Mennonite Church. We will miss her dearly. Survivors include her brother Nathan Horst (Savilla); her children Lucille Schiefer (Hank), Lavonne Amstutz (Sherman), Karen Moyer (Leon), Lynn Eby (Betty), Conrad Ross (Katherine), Curtis Ross (Shannon); all her grandchildren. She is predeceased by her husband I. Mark Ross; her siblings Amanda, Florence, Reuben, Anna, Naomi, Enos and Abram; her daughter Beulah Fern Ross Clearo. A memorial service is planned for April 8, 2017, 10:00 a.m., at Sunnyside Village Chapel with visiting hours Friday, April 7, 6 – 8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made in Lula’s name to the Sunnyside Foundation (memo Health Center) 5201 Bahia Vista Street, Sarasota, FL 34232. Online condolences can be made at www.wiegandbrothers.com.