Mr. Kenneth L. Cross, 70, of Bartlesville, passed from this earth peacefully on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2013, following a brief illness.
Funeral services for Mr. Cross will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 11, 2013, at the First United Methodist Church with Dr. Kevin Tully officiating. Interment will be in the Memorial Park Cemetery directed by the Stumpff Funeral Home & Crematory.
Friends who wish may call for visitation at the Stumpff Funeral Home until 11 a.m. Friday as the casket will remain closed at the services.
Mr. Cross was born at Stillwater on Aug. 12, 1942, the son of Hazel Oretta (Hemphill) Gross. He grew up and received his education at Stillwater where he graduated from Stillwater High School in 1960. While in high school he was an outstanding athlete earning letters in football, basketball and baseball and in 1959 was the All-State “Honorable Mention” at quarterback. He was the point guard of the 1959 and 1960 State Championship basketball teams at Stillwater High School and was selected as the Most Valuable Player at the state basketball tournament. Following his high school graduation he attended Northern Oklahoma Junior College at Tonkawa for two years, Oklahoma State University at Stillwater and then Central State University at Edmond where he received his bachelor’s degree. He then served as a member of the National Guard and also worked at Sears in Tulsa for two years. He was married to Jeannine R. Godley on June 22, 1968, in Blackwell. They came to Bartlesville to make their home in 1968 and Mr. Cross taught Business Education and was active as a coach at Sooner High School. When the school became Bartlesville Mid High he instructed in weightlifting and physical education. Throughout his career in education he was active in coaching wrestling, football, basketball and track. Following his retirement from the Bartlesville schools, he was employed at the Wellness Center at the Jane Phillips Medical Center until retiring in July of 2012. Mr. Cross was preceded in death by his wife on Aug. 26, 2012. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church where he was active as an usher. He loved the mountains and loved to snow ski. He was an avid all sports fan of Oklahoma State University, the Green Bay Packers, Boston Celtics and St. Louis Cardinals. He loved music and had played the violin while in high school, loved animals and his daily routine of an early morning cup of coffee with his morning newspaper. He was a kind, generous and true gentleman. He also loved his lifelong high school friends with who he had maintained contact over the years.
Survivors include his son, Derek Nathan Cross of Bartlesville, his mother, Retta Gross of Bartlesville, a brother-in-law, Larry Godley of Blackwell, an uncle, Walt Hemphill and wife Bobbi of Broken Arrow, an aunt, Betty Hall of Tulsa and an aunt by marriage, Betty Jo Hemphill of Okmulgee as well as numerous cousins and many special friends. In addition to his wife he was preceded in death by an aunt, Laura Hemphill and an uncle, Bob Hemphill who were both instrumental in his upbringing, his father-in-law, and mother-in-law, Ernest and Elsie Godley and a brother-in-law, Ronnie Godley.
Friends who wish may sign the online guest book and leave condolences at www.stumpff.org.
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Kenneth L. Cross photo provided
Kenneth L. Cross
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