Lonnie Gene Gross

Lonnie Gene Gross left us peacefully on Sunday morning, October 18, 2026, at the age of 89. He departed this world surrounded by love and holding the hand of Lois Jean Gross, his wife of 68 years. He now walks the streets of Heaven with his father, mother, brothers, sister, and children, Misty and Debbie, all of whom preceded him in death.

A father of four, grandfather of six, great-grandfather of eleven, and great-great-grandfather of two, Lonnie was a man in the truest sense of the word. He lived his life not as a perfect person, but as an example of how one can be among the very best of us, even if you occasionally stumble along the way. Never letting life’s challenges get the better of him, Lonnie worked hard his entire life to be a role model and provider, doing his best to set his family up for success in this world.

Born on March 31, 1937, in Eastern Kentucky, Lonnie’s early life was full of hardships as his family struggled to make their way during a difficult time. Moving to Middletown, Ohio, at the age of 14, Lonnie spent his youth learning the value of hard work. He met the love of his life in 1956, married Lois two years later, and began building his family. Together, they worked to build a life. After working at Coca-Cola for ten years, he became a press operator at Colorpac in Franklin, where he remained until his retirement 43 years later.

An expert bowler, Lonnie was part of a State Championship team in the late 1950s and loved the game. He loved it so much that he continued playing in leagues until just a year and a half before his passing, his skill ever present and always looking for a way to pick up a few extra pins!

Lonnie loved making people smile and often pulled pranks on his family and friends. One of his favorites was to knock on the wooden arm of his chair and watch whoever was sitting with him get up to answer the door, only for them to look over and see a wide grin stretched across his face. His sense of playfulness never went away as he aged, nor did his tenderness toward those closest to him.

It wasn’t unheard of to be watching a sad scene in a movie together, only to look over and see a tear in his eye—and then have him claim he had something in it. Just a few days before he passed, he motioned for Lois to come over to the chair where he was sitting in the hospital as he watched MeTV. When she came to him, he simply leaned over and kissed her on the forehead, just because he wanted to remind her how much he loved her.

Lonnie’s absence from our lives will not go unnoticed, but his was a life well lived and full of love, dedication, and joy. We will miss him each time we think about the way he brought light into our world. For each of us who knew him, our lives were better because he was a part of them.

Services will be held on October 31st, 2026 at Anderson Funeral Home, 1357 E. 2nd Street Franklin, OH. A viewing will be held from 10am-12pm with a service to follow and burial.

Burial will be at Woodside Cemetery & Arboretum, 1401 Woodside Blvd, Middletown, OH 45044, US.