“It’s so heartwarming to see how history can be interesting and fun when you can connect it locally,” said Ross, 78, who is the president of the board of trustees of Centerville-Washington History, which got its start as the Centerville Historical Society almost 60 years ago.
What’s more, Ross and his wife, Susan, are surrounded by Centerville’s early history every day. In 2005 they purchased the former Ida Weller home, becoming only the third family to reside there since the original farmhouse was built in 1840.
Ross is an upstanding citizen who does good deeds every day, said Jerry O’Ryan, who nominated Ross as a Dayton Daily News Community Gem.
“He himself is an unassuming, understated personality that gets things quietly done,” said O’Ryan, who moved nearby about eight years ago.
In addition to giving back to the community, O’Ryan said that Ross is simply a good neighbor. That includes hosting neighborhood meetings and even sharing part of his outdoor space with several neighbors who enjoy gardening.
“This is the most tight-knit community of neighbors of anywhere we’ve lived,” Ross said.
And Ross has lived around the world. His father was a U.S. Air Force pilot who served during World War II and the Korean War. He was transferred every couple of years, and the family lived many places, from France to Idaho. His father retired from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, and Ross has been in the Dayton area since 1965.
In the meantime, Ross and his wife raised two kids in Beavercreek while he worked in manufacturing management for several companies in the Miami Valley before retiring about a decade ago. The couple had no connection to Centerville and weren’t especially looking to move when they happened upon an intriguing real estate listing. They decided to make the move.
“For the first few years, we lived in construction mode,” he said, noting that they updated the house while maintaining its historic character.
Not long after they moved to Centerville, there was a knock at the door. Community members wanted to see the historic house. The Rosses, who have been married for 56 years, have been involved in sharing Centerville’s history ever since.
In addition to his involvement in the historical society and as chairman of Centerville’s Board of Architectural Review, Ross also gives talks on historic Centerville and spearheaded a multi-year project to restore tombstones at the Sugar Creek Baptist Church Cemetery, which was founded about 200 years ago.
He and other volunteers were trained on how to properly clean and fix tombstones and were able to secure grants to hire a company to restore those that needed a more professional touch. The project was finished earlier this year.
While Ross helps to preserve and share the history of Centerville throughout the community, he continues to do so at his own home as well. Over the years the Rosses have welcomed thousands of people to tour their house.
“It’s our responsibility to share this with the community because it’s such an important part of the history,” Ross said.
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