Wayne W. Ross

Wayne W. Ross, age 67, a Baltimore native and 25 year veteran of the Baltimore County Police Department and a 9 year veteran of the Berlin Police Department, died at his home in Auburndale, Florida early Monday, June 2, 2008. Born to George Harry Ross and Rita Grace (Ellinghaus) Ross in 1940, Wayne's adventurous spirit and passion for life earned him the respect, admiration, and often the friendship of nearly everyone who came into contact with him. He was an avid outdoorsman, a relentless fisherman with a particular love of the sea. His swimming prowess as a teenager earned him the nickname 'Fish' from his Calvert Hall schoolmates back in Towson, MD.

At age twenty, Wayne joined the Army Reserve where he earned the title of rifle sharpshooter. In 1963, he began his long career as a policeman. Wayne was perfect for the police force, and embraced his role as a patrolman with humility and deep respect for the position. Over the years his comrades came to rely on his steady demeanor, his quiet authority, and his obsessive commitment to duty. For the next quarter of a century, his life was dedicated to public service, until 1988 when he met his wife, Carolyn Jeanette Rucker. The two were promptly married, and relocated to Ocean Pines in Berlin, Maryland with the intention to retire in style at the beach.

Wayne's love for police work (and his inability to sit still or remain indoors) eventually drew him out of retirement and back into law enforcement, where he served for nine years as a lieutenant in the Berlin Police Department. A member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Wayne was recognized by the mayor in 1998 for his dedication and service to the Town of Berlin. Two years later, he would retire for the second time and, true to his restless nature, he and Jeanette soon embarked on a three year journey to explore the country together in an RV bought from the sale of their home.

Through it all, Wayne's commitment to family never wavered. He rejoiced in his children and grandchildren, and despite his long hours and traveling, he never missed a field hockey game, football game or den meeting. Like his screen idol John Wayne, he was a quiet man, with a gruff exterior that made his few words all the more endearing and meaningful. He was known to his loved ones as a "Grumpy Ole Bear," and all the children clung to their Pop-Pop, who in his later years resembled Santa Claus with his seasonal beard and jelly belly. He and his wife eventually settled in Florida, but Wayne was still not fit for retirement. He and Jeanette found employment with the Disney Co. in Orlando, work that they both found particularly rewarding, as it enabled them to spread the Disney magic into their grandchildren's lives.

He is survived by his wife Jeanette, his sisters Carol Alban of Havre de Grace, MD and Judy Schmitt of Perry Hall, MD and five children, David Wayne Ross of Northeast, MD, William Edward Ross of Abingdon, MD, Linda Jeanne Swift of Hanover, PA, Tammy Michelle Dutton of Bel Air, MD and Ashley Jean Hoban of Millsboro, DE.
Wayne's legacy includes eleven grandchildren: Krysta and James Ross of Northeast, MD, Justin, Joshua and Sydney Dutton of Bel Air, MD, Breyden, Brooke, and Slone Hoban of Millsboro, DE, Kaylee, Garrett, and Daniel Swift of Hanover, PA, and one great-grandchild, Jaylin Dutton of Bel Air, MD.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like to honor him by sending donations in his name to The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (www.cbf.org).