Worcester - A. Gordon Cross, 91, of Worcester, passed away on Monday, June 28th surrounded by his family.
Born and raised in Worcester, Gordon was the son of the late S. Ralph Cross and Rhea F (Jacques) Cross. Gordon graduated from Classical High School in 1947, Cushing Academy in 1948, and Bryant College in 1950. He was an inactive member of the Naval Reserves, and later drafted into the US Army during the Korean War in 1951. He attended basic training in Fort Belvoir, Virginia and later joined the 551st Engineer Foundry Detachment Unit at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. In 1952 his unit was transferred and stationed in Kaiserslautern, Germany.
Upon returning home, Gordon joined his father and brother in the family business, S. Ralph Cross & Sons, Inc. a patterns for castings manufacturing business located in Worcester. In 1972 he expanded the business and founded Mayfield Plastics, Inc., a custom thermoformed plastic manufacturer. His son, Ronald, joined the family business after college and they worked together up to Gordon’s retirement at age 80.
In 1951, Gordon married his “First Mate” Margaret. Together they spent many memorable moments at their family summer home on Naugus Head in Marblehead. From an early age Gordon was an avid sailor on the Cross family sloop “Pandora” and later years on his Tartan 37 sloop “Teragram”. He and Margaret took numerous vacations sailing up and down the coast of New England from Block Island to Canada. Gordon was a long-time member of the Boston Yacht Club.
Gordon was also an active member of the Worcester Rotary Club, Worcester Economic Club, and United Commercial Travelers. Both Gordon and Margaret were also long-time members of the YMCA Co-Wed Couples Club.
Gordon was predeceased by his wife of 57 years, Margaret Thomson Cross (Beats), and his son, Ronald Gordon Cross. He leaves behind two daughters, Judith Ann Hunter and her husband Roger of Shrewsbury, and Donna Margaret Whynott and her husband Clifford of Ipswich, and daughter-in-law Denise Mary Cross (Cote) of Worcester. He also leaves behind six grandchildren, Daniel Cote Cross, Tarah Lynn Hunter, Lindsey Ann Kluck (Hunter), Kenneth Ronald Cross, Tyler Brandyn Whynott, and Lauryn Alexys Whynott, and great-grandson, Jack Anthony Kluck, and several nieces and nephews. Gordon was predeceased by his brother, Stanley Ralph Cross, Jr. and sister-in-law Eleanor H (Steinhilber) Cross.
Gordon’s family would like to thank the staff at Beaumont Worcester/Northborough and Hospice for the wonderful care they provided Gordon over the past several months.
Funeral arrangements are being arranged by Nordgren Memorial Chapel, 300 Lincoln Street, Worcester. Graveside funeral will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 309 Waverley Oaks Rd, Waltham, MA 02452 or Mystic Seaport - Advancement Department, Mystic Seaport Museum, 75 Greenmanville Ave., P.O. Box 6000, Mystic, CT 06355-0990. To leave an online condolence message, please click guestbook link.