William Pressley Gross

William Pressley Gross October 2, 1915 - December 9, 2009 William Pressley Gross of Waco passed away Wednesday, December 9, 2009. Services will be at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, December 12, at Central United Methodist Church with Rev. Carl Freeto officiating. Burial will follow at Rosenthal Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m., Friday, December 11, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey. Pressley was born October 2, 1915 in China Spring, Texas to R. B. and Miranda Gross. He graduated from Waco Public Schools and attended Baylor University. He and Dorothy Redding were married on November 20, 1938. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps 1942-1945. Pressley was a longtime member of Central United Methodist Church. He owned and operated Gross Food Market for more than 30 years and served as treasurer of the Retail Grocers Association on the state and local level for more than 50 years, retiring in 2005. Mr. Gross will be remembered for his service to his family, his church and the community. He was preceded in death by his parents; his infant son, William Earl; and one sister. He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Dorothy Gross; two sons, Charles P. Gross and wife, Barbara, of Dallas; and Thomas B. Gross of Waco; grandchildren, Stephen P. Gross; Stacey Romanenko and husband, Peter; Andy Gross and wife, Lorrinda; Robert T. Gross and wife, Angie; Amy Anderson and husband, B.A.; and five great grandchildren. Also surviving is one sister, Ann Odom; one niece, Margarite Hicks; brother-in-law and wife, Punkin and Sherry Redding; and sister-in-law, Evelyn Brown. Memorials may be made to Central United Methodist Church or the charity of your choice. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our ?Memorial Guestbook? at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com.