Obituary of Donald Lee Gross

Donald Lee Gross, 94, died on March 13, 2024 at Foxdale Village. He was born in St. Marys, Pennsylvania on January 3, 1930, at home, to Evelyn Gerg Gross and Jay Gross. He was the youngest of five children. His mother died when he was five. His father left the family and his eldest sister Rachael struggled to keep the family together, but in the midst of the Great Depression the family had to be separated. He lived with his aunt and uncle, Viola Gerg Dinsmore and Thomas DInsmore, from the age of eight to seventeen. He had to be completely self-sustaining from the age of seventeen.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 66 years Barbara and his two daughters Suzanne Kowalski and Meg Moose (Clark). He is also survived by his grandchildren Brian Kowalski, Kevin Kowalski, Nicholas Moose (Annie), and Lauren Moose. He was a devoted husband and father and an adoring grandfather. He was preceded in death by his parents, and his sisters Rachael Schaberl, Olive Yasurek, Elaine Yeager, and his brother Jay. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews.

He was a graduate of St. Marys Public High School. Following high school, he spent several years in Washington D.C. working as a fingerprint technician in the Identification Division of the FBI. He served in the U.S. Army from 1951-1953 during the Korean War. After his army service, he attended Penn State using the G.I. Bill and received a B.S. degree in Accounting. He was employed as a CPA at an international accounting firm, but spent the majority of his career in the banking industry. He retired as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of United Federal Bancorp when the bank merged with PNC Bank.

He was a voracious reader and loved libraries and bookstores. He could not leave either place without at least one book. He read three newspapers a day and several books a week. He was a poor but enthusiastic golfer and a long time member of Centre Hills Country Club and the Imperial Golf Club in Naples, Florida. He and his wife traveled extensively and enjoyed winters at their home in Naples, Florida until they moved into Foxdale Village. While in Florida, he volunteered weekly building houses for Habitat for Humanity in Immokalee, Florida.

Active in church and community affairs, he was formerly a board member of the Children's Home in Connecticut and of the Nittany Valley Symphony. He was a member of the State College Presbyterian Church and an ordained deacon and elder.

His Funeral Service will be held at 10:00 am on March 18, 2024 at the State College Presbyterian Church, 132 West Beaver Avenue, State College, Pennsylvania.

Inurnment will be in the Columbarium at the State College Presbyterian Church.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Schlow Library Foundation or the Foxdale Village Community Fund.

Arrangements are under the care of Koch Funeral Home. Online condolences may be entered at www.kochfuneralhome.com.