Mr. and Mrs. John Gross celebrate 50 years of marriage

John and Carol (Melton) Gross of Poplar Bluff, Mo., formerly of Qulin, Mo., celebrated their 50th wedding anniversay on May 31. The couple were married on May 31, 1969.

The Grosses celebrated with a cruise trip to the Caribbean in April with their son, Michael and his family. They followed their trip with a special family dinner on their anniversary date.

Mr. Gross completed his B.S. degree at Murray State University and taught one year in Kentucky before being drafted to serve in the United States Army. After serving in the Army, Mr. Gross took advantage of the GI Bill and earned his Master’s degree at Southeast Missouri State University. He would later earn a Ph.D. in Guidance and Counseling at SIU Carbondale. Mr. Gross worked in the public schools in the area with most of his years in education being spent in the Poplar Bluff schools at the Vocational Technical Career Center. He is a member and serves as a deacon at First Baptist Church in Poplar Bluff. Mr. Gross enjoys spending time with family especially his grandchildren.

Mr. and Mrs. John Gross then...

Mrs. Gross earned both her BS and MS degrees from Southeast Missouri State University and taught in public schools for 34 years with most of those years as a guidance counselor in the Twin Rivers R-X School District. Mrs. Gross is an active member of First Baptist Church of Poplar Bluff where she plays the organ, teaches a Sunday School class, organizes volunteers, and does the purchasing for the meals. Mrs. Gross’ favorite activity is spending time with her grandchildren, Katie and Morgan.

Mr. and Mrs. Gross love to travel and have visited all 50 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. They have also visited 20 foreign countries. Some of their favorite travels were to South Africa, Costa Rica, and Mexico with mission teams from their church. Trips, with their son and his family, to Alaska and out west are among favorites.

The Grosses son, Michael Gross, his wife, Michelle, and their two children, Katie and Morgan, live in Poplar Bluff and own ServPro Fire and Water Restoration. Michael also farms the family farm in Qulin. Michelle works for USDA.

Mr. and Mrs. Gross welcome shared memories from family and friends through visits, calls, or cards.