Carla Beth Gross, 80

Carla Beth Gross, age 80, passed away Monday, October 28th, 2019 at Our Hospice of South Central Indiana in Columbus.

Carla Beth was born December 5, 1938, in Shelby County, the daughter of Carl and Lucille (Linville) Henke, both of whom preceded her in death. On June 4, 1961, she married Major Albert Gross in Lafayette, Ind., on the same day she graduated from Purdue University, and he preceded her in death on May 21, 2002.

Carla Beth is survived by her sons, Ryan Gross and wife, Suzan, of Gig Harbor, WA, Spencer Gross and wife, Kristine, of Hope, IN, Steven Gross and wife, Melissa, of Cap Haitien, Haiti, and Russell Gross and wife, Alecia, of New Castle, IN; grandchildren, Jonathan Gross and wife, Abi, Spencer Ryan Gross, Lauren Gross, Kiersten Nixon and husband, Karson, Alex Gross, Caleb Gross, Hannah Gross, Samuel Gross, Sarah Gross, Chris Gross, Nic Gross, Susan Allen, Ethan Nash, Allison Nash, Logan Nash, Courtney Gross, and Jacob Gross; great-grandchildren, William Allen, Isaac Allen, Emmie Gross, Asher Gross and Major Nixon; brother, Ronald Thomas (R.T.) Henke and wife, Virginia; and sisters, Lossie Marie Laird, and Margaret Ann St. Onge and husband, David.

Carla Beth grew up in Manilla, Indiana, attended high school in Manilla and then graduated from Purdue University, where she was in the Purduettes, with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She taught in Huntington and Clinton, Indiana, and briefly at the Shelby Township school south of Shelbyville after she and Major moved there in 1971 to open Major’s Five and Dime. She soon left teaching, however, to help Major manage the store in Shelbyville, and later, Major’s True Value in Hope.

Carla Beth was a lifelong Christian, having grown up in Evangelical United Church of Christ in Shelbyville, raised her children at First United Methodist in Shelbyville, and spent the past 20 years as a faithful member of Hope United Methodist Church. She had a beautiful soprano voice and loved singing classic hymns, especially How Great Thou Art, Because He Lives and In the Garden.

Carla Beth was a member and past president of the Nu Chapter of Kappa Kappa Sigma, and also a member of the Red Hat Society.

A funeral service will be held on Friday at 11 a.m. at Hope United Methodist Church with Pastor Ed Cottrell and Reverend Alecia Gross officiating. Visitation will be Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. at Norman Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service on Friday at the church. Burial will follow at Hope Moravian Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be given to Our Hospice of South Central Indiana.

Online condolences may be sent to the Gross Family at http://www.normanfuneralhome.net.