David Allen Gross

Celebrating the Life of David Allen Gross

David Allen Gross, age 73, died in hospice in Merlin, Oregon, on September 16, 2019.

David was born on September 18, 1945, to Lester Erwin Gross and Alva May Cammack-Archer in Pasadena, California, as the youngest of three children.

David got a Bachelor of Science in Business Computer Science, was a business owner and a veteran serving with the U.S. Air Force briefly and subsequently worked for Sears Roebuck as a computer programmer and also with the Washington Psychiatric Association. He had been married to Laura Lane Dover but was subsequently divorced. David spent the summers in the High Sierras working in the mountains with his step-father taking pack trains up to monitor the repeaters at the top of mountains and also helped with guided pack tours when he was young. He loved the wilderness and would never forget having a raccoon family take up residence on a bed that was put out in a meadow that he would sleep on outside at night in the national park where he spent his summers. He also loved doing intricate work and worked on lenses as well as creating a small business making jigsaw puzzles with intricate pieces out of wood. He also invented a part that was used in recreational vehicles. In 1995, he began to study timeless principles in the works of Vernon Howard, Guy Finley, Krishnamurti and Maurice Nicoll and was drawn to continue with that. After his divorce, he spent about two years travelling with his beloved dog, Star, in the desert and grew to love it. His drive to learn about Timeless principles eventually took him to the Life of Learning Foundation in Oregon around 2010, and he began to study with spiritual teacher, Guy Finley, where he felt that he had truly found his meaning and purpose. He worked as the caretaker there maintaining the buildings, greeting and assisting students that would travel to study from all over the world and did extensive work with audio equipment processing spiritual talks and internet radio programs for the foundation. He had a knack for outlining Timeless principles, and he found his life partner, Debbie, a woman who truly made his life complete. He also discovered a talent that he was unaware of when younger – a bass, opera-level voice and would often sing solos and duets in front of the foundation audience. His nephew referred to his voice as his “radio voice”. Debbie, often would coax him to read stories to people as he had a very comforting voice. He often would say that he’d had a charmed life. He is sorely missed by those who knew and loved him.

David was a member of Life of Learning Foundation in Merlin. He loved refurbishing old cars and working with wood; loved animals; and was a wonderful singer.

David was pre-deceased by his grandparents, mother, father, brother and his beloved dog, Star.

Survivors include his sister Janice Lorraine Morrison of Texas; one niece; three nephews; seven great-nieces and five great-nephews.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Life of Learning foundation. A small memorial service was held for David on the grounds of that foundation.