Robert Ross Obituary

Where to even begin. Pastor Ross, thank you always for being so faithful to Jesus Christ. I will never forget all of the sermons that I listen to you teach at the years I attended Christian Center. I always loved how you taught from the NASB, gave me a heart for wanting to pursue word for word translations of God's word. The thoughtfulness and dedication you gave when you would preach always ministered to my soul. I will always remember you for saying "oofda", or when you would sing at the end of a service and the church would join you, and maybe more especially how you would always do the Christmas Eve service. How you would ask my mother (Jenifer) to sing "O Holy Night". I always appreciated how sensitive you were to the Holy Spirit's movement, and how you would express that.

Anyway, this truly is not a goodbye, but "I'll see you later". Thank you for being such an influential person in my life. Because of you & so many others who have prayed for me and loved me, I now am a hospice chaplain. Thank you!!!

My prayers are with your family.

PS: I still read your devotional.

my great great uncle

Even after all these years away from Kalispell, my memories of this incredible man have traveled with me, even as we served in Papua New Guinea, he was mentioned in several of our visits!

Dear Roberta, Norb and I were so sorry to hear of Pastor Ross's passing. He was such a huge part of our Christian growth and walk under his teaching. We have been living in Washington state for 23 years now, but some of our fondest memories are of singing in choir, worship team and being involved with Christian Center under Pastor Ross. We love his devotional. I can hear his precious voice when I read the words. Many blessings to you and your family as you grieve. Love and Prayers, Debora and Norbert Rossi

Talk about a great Graduation Day! One of the most influential people in my life and one of my favorite people on the planet graduated last week and we celebrate that today. Pastor Ross was my pastor growing up at Christian Center. My parents led worship and served under Pastor Ross when I was a kid. My mom was his secretary/"admin" for a long time. He was a counselor to each of us in our family at different times. Pastor Ross married me and Jessica, he was such a great guy and someone I always looked up to and respected. It is so cool to see some of his history and see other people who respected him come and celebrate his life and service to God and His church. That is how I will always remember Pastor Ross, as a servant to God and His church. What a great man!

In the short time I was blessed to know Pastor Ross was mostly in Sunday school. He was a great teacher. There were two times I´d like to share with the family.
Twice he spoke to my inner soul. I had told no one how or what I was feeling. Even I had pushed my feelings down allowing a long ago fear rule my mind
1st time his words put to rest that fear of rejection he said with a smile a a bit of a chuckle he had enjoyed engaging with me in Sunday School and hoped I hadn´t minded. he added he "liked what I had to say ".From that point on I could freely express myself without that old baggage of being rejected as the outsider. The 2cd time I was leaving Sunday School and in passing by him I committed on the great job he did teaching that morning. He called me up on the stage where he was sitting I thought he may have needed something. I´ll never forget, he put his finger to his lip as if thinking about something, then he pointed that same wise finger at me and said. You´d like to be teaching or perhaps even preaching wouldn´t you. putting his finger back to his lips it was as if he was listening waiting for me to answer all I could think of was I hadn´t told anyone. but before I could say anything, he pointed his finger back at me saying "and you should". How did he know my heart. I believe Pastor Ross had an open line of communication with his Lord Jesus Christ. He was a Mighty Man of God. I´m the blessed one because of knowing should a giving man of God.

Pastor will be deeply missed in the Flathead valley. He is the end of an Era.
What a glorious day it will be when we all get to heaven!

I wrote this last Friday and sent it BEFORE I knew of his "GRADUATION ! ". I stand amazed at God's timing.

Dear Pastor Bob
Your "Final Perspective" issue is bittersweet for me.
I am so grateful for all my memories with you.  But I do understand the weekly "load" that Perspectives may have become.
The perspective issues had a way of encouragement by ALSO keeping me in weekly contact with you. On my computer, I have saved most all of those weekly issues. They are in a file I had started long before perspectives.

One of my FAVORITE perspectives is a mental image I have of you. You had put your rifle in the truck with Rick Helms and I as you wanted to ride ahead on your 4 wheeler, into the sunset that day. You were having fun as we left the hunting area we'd been in. South of Dillon, we had hunted near Elk Ridge, in the Sage creek drainage. You got your elk too.

Pastor, please know I would still follow you and what you taught, into the sunset, because we're on the trail of the ONE who created it.

I pray His Blessings on you and Roberta.
Doren Renfrow

Pastor Ross was our pastor for many years at Christian Center. His teaching usually started with a historic illustration to give context and draw us into his message. After he "retired" he joined Pastor Dick Bishop teaching a class at church. What a great teacher and preacher and friend! He married our daughter on Flathead Lake on a hot and sweaty August day almost 25 years ago. We were afraid he was going to pass out. After his retirement he was invited to our "elk hunt" and went two years. One of those years he actually shot an elk. One year while hunting with us he brought his ATV and wanted to drive it through the snow along side of the pickup rather
than riding in the pickup. My late wife and I met Bob and Roberta on the trail hiking a few times and had fun greeting each other. As was stated in his obituary Bob loved the out of doors. After my wife of 56 years passed I got remarried and one of the most important people I wanted her to meet was my "Pastor" and his wife Roberta. We were blessed with spending a few hours with them a few months ago and they were as sharp and gracious as ever. I'm so thankful and blessed to have known Bob for almost 40 years. I will miss him.

My family (the Jones) and I had the incredible gift of being ministered to and pastored by Pastor Ross while he lead the church in Kalispell. As I weathered my teens and young adult years tossed between a love for Jesus and "sins of my youth", the steady witness of Pastor Ross´ unwavering faith and teaching/preaching provided a firm foundation, more so then I even could understand at that time. Thank you Roberta, for the loving friendship and support you and Robert gave to my parents and us kids over all these years. I look forward to sharing Christ together with you throughout all eternity!!!

Pastor Bob was a very beloved Pastor by so many and such a dear man of God. I remember him even after he retired from Christian Center. He was still involved and had some bible classes he would teach. He had a unique way of relating to others with God's Word and his impactful stories. Even before he passed he administered funerals of other beloved parishioners. Occasionally we would run into him and Roberta at the Handel's Messiah chorus performance at Christmas time. He will be dearly missed. Looking forward to seeing him again on the other side of heaven.

Pastor Ross was a very dear friend and pastor of both Kevin and I
He married us along with Hal Curtiss
We attended Christian Center now called Canvas Church for a very long time
We knew his family when we were kids and went out elk bugling in the North Fork with his mom and dad
He was such a great man of the Word and always gave godly counsel
He will be greatly missed.
Condolences go to Roberta and all of his kids and family members
His big, booming voice, and his awesome singing of the song how great thou Art
will always be remembered
Ronda and Kevin Neitzling

Pastor Ross was my first pastor and under his leadership I came back to Christ in my 20s after falling away in my high school and college days. I learned and grew so much under his teaching. I will never forget him and his influence in my life. I always appreciated his story telling and his deep thinking. He made the scripture come alive and he always made me think hard after listening to his sermons and grapple with the deep things of God. Any book he would reccomend I read. Thank you, Ross family for sharing him with all of us, I know that was not an easy road. I will miss him, and I am praying for the Lord's comfort as you walk this road of grief. He is a much beloved man, and his loss will be keenly felt by all who knew him.

Roberta and family. Celebrating Bob's life with you. I know he will be missed. I mailed Bob's obit to dad and Marilyn (John R Weaver). Blessings and hugs. Andrea (Weaver) Kenney

We will always cherish the many fun times we had together. Especially liked the cook outs in Glacier Park. Thanks for the listening ear and prayers given to us.