David Lee Gross, Sr.

On Sunday February 19, 2012, Dave Gross passéd away at the age of 73 with family by his side. Dave was born in Havre de Grace, MD, on April 20, 1938, the son of William A. Gross, Jr. and Helen Shortall Gross of Aberdeen, MD. He graduated from Aberdeen High School in 1956 and attended college at Davis and Elkins College in Elkins, WV, the Universityo f Maryland and finished at the University of Delaware where he majored in mathematics, statistics and computer science. Dave was employed at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), MD, where he retired after 35 years service in 1993. While at APG he held positions with the Material Testing Directorate (MTD), US Army Material Systems Analysis Activity (AMSAA), US Army Test and Evaluation Command (TECOM), and the US Army Research Laboratory (ARL). His last position in ARL was with the Vulnerability/Lethality Assessment Management Office (VLAO) as a Senior Operations Research Analysis team leader for assessing vulnerability/lethality issues for US Army smart munitions. While in this position he was responsible for the coordination and the development of the US Army position for Live Fire Testing. Dave is survived by his wife of 49 years, Margaret (Peggy) Fisher Gross of Camden, DE; sons David L. Gross, Jr. and wife, Laurie, of Perryville, MD, and Matthew Fisher Gross and wife, Rose Ellen, of Anderson, SC; grandchildren, David L. Gross, III and Emma Rose Gross;  brothers William A. Gross III and John C. Gross, both of Havre de Grace, MD, Paul J. Gross of Joppa, MD; sisters, Margaret Brown of Atlanta, GA, and Helen Farmer of Aberdeen, MD; numerous nieces and nephews. Dave was preceded in death by his parents. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Good Shepherd Parish or the St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital, both in care of Lee A. Patterson & Son Funeral Home, P.A., P.O. Box 766, Perryville, MD  21903-0766. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Perryville, MD, on Thursday, February 23, 2012, at 10:00 AM. A private interment will take place in Mt. Erin Cemetery, Havre de Grace, MD. Arrangements By Lee A. Patterson & Son Funeral Home, P.A., Perryville, MD