John Martin Cross died peacefully at his home in Winthrop on May 26, 2022, after a long battle with vascular dementia. He was 87 years old. John was the beloved husband of 65 years to Frances Marie (Stavredes) Cross. Born in Chelsea, he was the cherished son of the late Earl Lester “Babe” and Alice M. (Grady) Cross.
John was an avid sportsman. He played on multiple softball teams in Winthrop, Revere and East Boston. His favorite moment of all time was pitching for the Royals at the softball nationals in Georgia. In his later years, John could be found playing golf at the Winthrop Golf Club where he enjoyed meeting his friends. John was also a member of the Winthrop Lodge of Elks #1078.
Upon retiring from the Journal Publishing Company (Revere Journal), John worked as a trainer at Suffolk Downs Horse Racing Track, which was a lifelong dream.
His competitive nature had shown the brightest when he played with his children and grandchildren in all types of games that included swimming, cornhole, touch football and jarts at his favorite vacation spot, Sesuit Harbor Beach on Cape Cod. Those days spent with his family at the beach were some of John’s fondest memories.
John was the devoted father of the late Theodore E. “Teddy” Cross and his wife Virginia “Ginger”, Pamela J. Hinckley and her husband Francis, Julie Ann Andrews and her husband Phil Bourgelais and Aimee L. Carter and her husband John. He was the adored grandfather of John Cross and his wife Cheryl, Jesse Cross and his soon to be wife Tanya Spitaleri, Nicholas Hinckley and his fiancé Allison Gould, Rachael Corcoran and her husband Patrick and Benjamin Hinckley and his partner Paige Nye, Christian Andrews and his partner Kasey Harding, Caroline M. Carter and John C. Carter and he was the loving great-grandfather of Lana, Lilah and Penny Cross and Callan Corcoran. John was the dear brother of the late Earl T. Cross, and uncle to Mary Blue Anderson. Dear Friends of the Family Dawn (Woods) Dagg, and Laurie Acone.
At the request of the family, John’s funeral service was private. Donations in his memory can be made to Care Dimensions 75 Sylvan St. Suite B-102, Danvers, MA 01923.