ROSS, AGNES O’NEILL

A funeral mass was celebrated June 7 at St. Catharine Church in Spring Lake for Agnes O’Neill Ross, 97. She died peacefully in her sleep at her home in Spring Lake on May 31. Mrs. Ross lived in North Bergen for 63 years before coming to Spring Lake six years ago. Born and raised in Weehawken, she graduated as valedictorian from Sacred Heart Academy in Hoboken in 1930 and received her teaching degree from Jersey City State Teachers College. She retired after teaching third grade at Horace Mann School in North Bergen. Her 40 year career spanned several generations of children. Family, friends and educating youth were the main stays in her life. Prior to becoming a communicant of St. Catharine Church in Spring Lake, Mrs. Ross was an active member of Our Lady of Fatima Church in North Bergen. She was predeceased by her husband, Wilbur L. Ross, Sr., a prominent lawyer, who served as judge and Commissioner of Revenue and Finance in North Bergen, and where Mrs. Ross was elected and served as County Committeewoman for 45 years. She was also predeceased by her parents, Mary Jane and James Michael O’Neill; her sister, Mary O’Neill Heitzmann; and a son, James O’Neill Ross. She is survived by her son, Wilbur L. Ross, Jr. and his wife, Hilary of Palm Beach, Fla.; Karen Ross Tanzola and her husband, Robert L. Tanzola, Jr. of Spring Lake, N.J. and daughter-in-law, Cynthia Ross of Rochester, N.Y. She also leaves seven grandchildren: Jessica Ross Brown and her husband Douglas of Johannesburg, S. Africa; Amanda Ross of Sag Harbor, N.Y.; Lt. Col. Robert L.Tanzola III and his wife, Pamela of Cedar Point, N.C.; William Ross Tanzola of Vancouver, B.C., Canada; Jeffrey Ryan Tanzola and wife, Carole of Mickleton, N.J., and Meredith and Dana Ross of Rochester, N.Y. There are also eight great grandchildren including, Alexander Ross Farris, Robert L. Tanzola IV, Rachel Lauren Tanzola, Michael Kevin Tanzola, Nicholas Kyle Tanzola, John Christopher Tanzola, Luke Anthony Tanzola and Kirsty Colby Brown. Services arranged by the O’Brien Funeral Home, Wall, N.J.

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