Louise Annette Gross

Louise Annette Wilson Gross, 93, passed away Saturday, February 8,  2020 at Longhouse Care Center in Spencer, Iowa.

Louise was born on a farm near Gilmore City on July 27, 1926 to Carl and Clara Wilson. Louise was a middle child and had an older brother, Leonard, and a younger sister, June. Throughout Louise’s childhood her family moved to various farms and she went to various one-room schools in the Humboldt/Gilmore City area through eighth grade. She graduated from Ayrshire High school as valedictorian at the age of 16 in 1943. After high school, Louise continued her education at the Hamilton Business School in Mason City, Iowa.

Louise met the love of her life, Harold J. “Dutch” Gross while working at the Sackett & Cornwall law firm in Spencer. They were married on October 6, 1947 at St. Louis Catholic Church in Royal, Iowa. They lived and farmed land north of Royal where they raised their four children.

Louise was a wonderful and supportive farm wife and mother. She enjoyed taking night courses in crafts and trying them out at home. Harold and Louise enjoyed traveling and visiting family. She was very proud of her children and grandchildren and their accomplishments. She was also proud of her Danish ancestry.  Louise will be remembered as a sweet and kind woman. A deeply religious woman, Louise was an active member of both the St. Louis and Sacred Heart Catholic Churches.

In 1986, Harold and Louise moved to Spencer. In 2010, Louise suffered a stroke after which she resided at Longhouse Care Center. Harold visited her there every day until he passed away on July 1, 2017.

Louise was preceded in death by her husband, Harold; parents Carl and Clara Wilson; father and mother-in-law John and Katherine (Berberich) Gross; brother Leonard Wilson; sister June Thiesen Campbell; brothers-in-law Raymond Gross, Bill Chambers and Louis Thiesen; and sisters-in-law Lillian Gross and Beulah (Pat) Gross.

Left to cherish her memory are her children: David and wife Barbara of Arlington, Virginia, Mary Korthas and husband Stan of Brunsville, Iowa; John and wife Emily of Royal, Iowa; Steven and wife, Valentina of Brooklyn, New York; grandchildren Joshua Gross, Katie Gross Wehmann, Matthew Korthas, Ben Korthas, Ana Gross, Lily Gross and Joseph Gross and six great-grandchildren. Also surviving is her sister-in-law Colleen Chambers and brother-in-law Knox Campbell, as well as many beloved nieces and nephews.

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