Phillip J. Ross Jr.

Rev. Phillip J. Ross Jr. was born on the 30th of April 1939, in Cook County, Chicago, IL, to Rev. Phillip J. Ross Sr. and Willieva Butler Ross. He accepted Christ as his Savior at an early age and became a member of the Garden of Prayer Pentecostal Church (Pastored by Rev. William Hudley). Rev. Ross was called to ministry at Full Gospel Pentecostal Church, Chicago, IL (Rev. W. Hudley; Rev. Sylvester Brinson, Jr). While a member of Full Gospel Pentecostal Church, he served as a Sunday School Teacher, Good News Bible Club Teacher, Administrator and Teacher of the McLester Bible School, an Evangelist, and later an ordained Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (1973) through the United Pentecostal Council of the Assemblies of God (U.P.C.A.G.). During his time of service, both in Chicago and Massachusetts, Rev. Ross was an avid listener of Gospel Music and enjoyed attending Gospel Music concerts. Phillip attended Howland Elementary School, graduated from Chicago DeWitt C. Cregier Vocational High School with a concentration in Electricity (1959) and pursued post-secondary education at Crane Jr. College. He also attended Moody Bible Institute and completed an Advance Teachers Certificate Course through the Evangelical Teacher Training Association (ETTA) in 1964. Later, he returned to college to pursue further training in computer technology; Phillip was an avid technician with computer hardware, and he could take a machine apart and put it back together even in his later years. In the early 1970s, Rev. Ross was introduced to a Christian young lady from Panama named Jean M. Maynard, who was also in the work of the Lord, by Rev. Fitz Barclay Sr. & his wife Geraldine (Progressive Beulah Pentecostal Church), his co-worker and colleagues in ministry. After a time of courtship, he married his beloved wife Jean Myrtle (Maynard) Ross in August of 1976 in the Republic of Panama and they settled in Chicago, Illinois. In mid-1980 Phillip and Jean relocated to Boston, MA where they would assist in the care of his wife’s Mother. During this time, he worked as an Environmental Services Specialist for Children’s Hospital in Boston, MA until his retirement. He became a member of the First Holiness Church (now Kingdom Empowerment Center, Cambridge, MA – Rev. C. Thornhill; Rev. L. Thornhill) where he served as a Sunday school teacher and a minister of the Gospel. Later, he joined Twelve Baptist Church (Roxbury, MA – Dr. M. Haynes; Dr. A. Gerald), where he was an active member of the Senior Group (The ‘Swingers’) and the ministerial team. He is fondly remembered for his encouraging Sunday Morning Call to Worship. Over the course of his 38 years of marriage to his wife Jean it was evident how much Phillip and Jean loved each other. Phillip was a dedicated and devoted husband who cared for Jean until her home-going on November 25, 2014. He remained active with his church, his residential community, daily phone calls with his sisters, and travelled to visit them and other family members and friends in Chicago and Oklahoma on several occasions. Rev. Phillip J. Ross was called home to his Lord and maker on January 1, 2021 after a two-year period of illness. Rev. Ross was pre-deceased by his parents (P. J. Ross Sr. & W. Butler Ross), sisters Pearl Turner and Barbara J. Ross McIntosh, brother Robert L. Ross, and sister Diane P. Ross. Left to mourn his loss are: his sisters, Marilyn J. Ross and Judy W. Caple; a host of nephews, Larnell C. McIntosh, David L. McIntosh, Robert Ross, Phillip Ross, Ronald Ross, Leon Ross, Frank Ross, Brian Caple, Aaron B. Stingley and nieces, Connie M. McIntosh, Shirley A. McIntosh, Caroline L. McIntosh, Tylisha M. Oliver; sister-in-law, Naomi A. Maynard Wilshire, brother-in-law, Rev. E. Ray Wilshire Sr., and their children: E. Ray Jr., Angelica E., and Corina D. Wilshire; sister-in-law, Joana A. Maynard, and niece (in law) Eva L. Maynard; nephew (in law) Rev. Theodore N. HickmanMaynard and wife, Rev. Bernadette Hickman-Maynard and their children: Jeremiah, Justice, Zion and Zenith; nephew (in law) Rev. Carlos L. Maynard J. and wife Deacon Cheryl E. Maynard. Also, several cousins including Elder Joseph A. Sledge and other family members and friends in Chicago, other parts of the USA and Canada; friends from Twelve Baptist Church and Blake Estate where he resided, and many, many others.

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