Vaughn R. "Bobby" Ross, Sr.

"Vaughn R. Ross, Sr. (Bobby), Captain, US Army, passed away on March 5th, 2018 in Baton Rouge, LA. Ross was born in Kansas City, MO on February 2, 1944 to Art and Elizabeth Ross, the second of two boys.  He moved to Houston as a 3 year old baby then on to Corpus Christi, Texas. Bobby started school in Louisiana and remained there for the rest of his life. He attended Southdowns Elementary, Glasgow Junior High and was a member of the first graduating class of Robert E. Lee High School in 1962. Ross later earned a degree from LSU and in 2015 was inducted into the LSU Corp of Cadets Hall of Honor, which he was very proud of. Ross was inducted into the US Army in 1966 and commissioned a Second Lieutenant at FT. Benning, Georgia's Infantry School. He later attended flight training in Texas and Alabama and earned his wings in 1968 as an Army Aviator and later as a helicopter Instructor Pilot. Ross served in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970 with the 57th Assault Helicopter Company and was shot down twice and wounded once. He was awarded eight medals for valor during his tour of duty in Vietnam including the Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Air Medal with 26- Oak Leaf Clusters. After separating from the Army in 1971, he worked for his brother for several years before co-founding Commercial Helicopters Inc, based in Lafayette, LA, which provided transportation service to the offshore oil industry in the Gulf of Mexico. The company grew to a fleet of 34 helicopters and seven coastal bases during Ross's tenure with the company as Vice President and Director of Operations. The recently married Ross left CHI in 1984 to take an appointment as an undersecretary of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development-a position he held until 1988-whereupon he began an aviation safety consulting firm that he continued until his death. Ross investigated aircraft accidents and testified in court as an expert witness all those years. Ross's work took him throughout the U.S. and the world. Ross married the former Dawn Chambers and the marriage produced two wonderful children, Katherine Elizabeth Ross and Vaughn Ross Jr. He was also blessed with a granddaughter, Isla Alexandria Ross in 2009 and she is the love of his life. Divorced in 2000, he remained friends with his former wife throughout his later years. He is survived by his children and granddaughter as well as a brother, Arty Ross, and niece, Ashley Ross Russell (Will), and Ashley's two girls, Brooks and Alden Russell. Visitation will be held at Rabenhorst Funeral Home, 825 Government Street, on Monday, March 12, from 9:00 am until 11:00 am, with a service to follow at 11:00 am. Ross is to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C.