Gene R. Cross

Gene Stratton Rushing Cross passed away early Saturday morning in Jupiter, Florida. Mrs. Cross was ninety-four years old, a long time resident of Belle Glade, Florida, where she was a member of the First Baptist Church and a community activist for many years. Gene later joined the First Baptist Church in Tequesta, Fl.

Gene was born in Register, Georgia, and grew up in Statesboro, graduating from Statesboro High School when she was sixteen and matriculating at Georgia Southern. Gene graduated with a major in teaching and a minor in business, later working on her post-graduate degree at UNC Chapel Hill. Then during World War II, Gene worked at Ft. Benning, Georgia, with the clandestine real estate division of the U.S. Army.

While rearing her family, Gene worked as a substitute teacher and later as the Social Services Supervisor for Western Palm Beach County. Gene taught Sunday school for thirty-three years, was a member and president of the Business and Professional Women's organization, and worked as a reporter for the Miami Herald. Gene Cross was active in the local civic sorority and a member of PEO, UDC, and the DAR. Gene Cross helped to found the location of the Palm Beach Junior College campus in Belle Glade; was chairperson of the Mental Health steering committee; helped to found the local branch office of Social Security in the Glades; helped to found the Wee Care Center for migrant children; and was instrumental in organizing the Katherine Price Foundation.

Gene Cross was predeceased by her husband of fifty-two years, Francis W. Cross, Jr., an eighth generation Floridian. Mrs. Cross is survived by her three children: Margaret Cross Rice and her husband Kenneth, Bryan Francis Cross and his wife Kathy, and Anne Laura Cross; her grandchildren: Ashley Cross Graves and Patrick Bryan Cross; and great grandchildren: Patrick H. Wilkinson, Cassidy P. Wilkinson, Charles Owen Rushing Wilkinson, Kaiden L. Graves and Onamarie Piper Graves.

Visitation with the Cross family will begin on Sunday, July 27, 2014 from 6:30 pm until 8:00 pm at Aycock-Riverside Funeral & Cremation Center, 1112 Military Trail Jupiter, Florida, 33458. Also visitation will be on Monday, July 28 10:00 am until service begins at 11:00 am at First Baptist Church, 17 North West Avenue B Belle Glade, Florida, 33430.

In lieu of flowers, Gene's family requests that friends may make donations to the charities of their choice.

Arrangements under the direction of Aycock Funeral Home, Jupiter, FL.