Victoria, Kansas – Francis Dean Gross, age 66, died Wednesday, August 19, 2015, in Reno, Nevada.

He was born March 4, 1949, in Hays, Kansas to Herman J. and Evelyn Clara (Schmidtberger) Gross.

He was a 1967 graduate of Victoria High School. He spent 26 years in the U.S. Navy and was a veteran of the Vietnam War. He retired in 1996 from the Navy Reserves as a naval recruiter. He also was a postal mail carrier and retired from the U.S. Post Office in 2009. He lived in California, Texas, Montana, Washington, Colorado, Missouri and moved to Victoria in 2010. He enjoyed reading, cooking, canning, gardening, fishing, hunting and spending time with his family and relation.

Survivors include one son, James Gross, Fulton, MO; one grandson, Brendan Gross; one brother, Gary Gross and wife, Brenda, three sisters, Judy Wahlen and husband, Steve, Kansas City, MO; Mary Lou Rupp and husband, Charlie, Salina, KS; Carol Kuhn and husband, Ron, Scottsbluff, NE; three step-brothers, Don Pfannenstiel and wife, Myra, Hays, KS; Bob Pfannenstiel and wife, Gloria, Topeka, KS; Dennis Pfannenstiel and wife, Pam, Hays, KS; two step-sisters, Marlene Sloan and husband, Howard, Hays, KS; and Shirley Werth and husband, Les, Schoenchen, KS; and many nephews and nieces.
He was preceded in death by his parents; stepmother, Mabel Pfannenstiel Gross, two brothers, James and Thomas Gross.

Services are 11:00 A.M. Saturday, August 29, 2015, at Cline’s Mortuary of Hays, 1919 East 22nd Street, Hays, Kansas 67601. Military honors will be conducted by the Victoria V.F.W. Post No. 1751. A private family inurnment will be held at a later date.

The family will receive friends from 9:00 to 11:00 A.M. Saturday, at Cline’s Mortuary of Hays.

Memorials to Wounded Warrior Project. Condolences can be sent via e-mail [email protected].