Ross Norris Roe

Ross N. Roe was born in Canton, South Dakota on March 1, 1928 and died in Grants Pass, Oregon on March 5, 2019 at Countryside Village.

Ross graduated from Canton High School in South Dakota and later graduated from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois with a communications/speech degree. He attended General Motors Institute in Flint, Michigan before enlisting in the United States Army and was honorably discharged as a Second Lieutenant in the 82nd Airborne Division. After returning to Flint, he went to work for Buick Motor Division. While in Flint, he met Annette Krause and they were married December 10, 1955. After moving to Moline, Illinois, Ross and Annette had four children and Ross worked for Harrelson Motors and helped start the Niabi Zoo in Moline.

In 1967, the Roe family moved to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan as the founder of Roe Chevrolet Oldsmobile. In 1969, Ross helped start the annual International 500 Snowmobile Race - the largest longest single day snowmobile race in the world. In 1983, the Roe family sold the Michigan dealership and started Roe Motors in Grants Pass, Oregon. In 1990, Ross started the Josephine County Tree Plant. Over 23,000 youth have planted over 100,000 trees on Josephine County land.

Ross Roe was always an innovator and dedicated to community service. In the Sault, he started the Four Horseman Radio Show. This weekly one-hour radio program was broadcast from the dealership showroom and highlighted community events. In Grants Pass, he wrote the monthly back page of the Sneak Preview with articles about local events. At their Brookings, Oregon condo he made a trail to the ocean for condo residents which is known as the “Ross Roe Trail.”
Ross volunteered in many community organizations such as the Bethany Presbyterian Church choir, Rogue Valley Symphony, and the RASCALS/Computer Bugs. His tireless energy and enthusiasm for the community was well-known in every community he lived in.

Ross is survived by his wife Annette Roe of Grants Pass, Oregon; children Steve (Kristi) Roe of Grants Pass, Oregon, Jim (Marinell) Roe of Rochester Hills, Michigan, Lori (Joe) Bouquet of Grants Pass, Oregon and Brad (Jane) Roe of Gresham, Oregon; sister Maevis Hales of Canton, South Dakota; seven grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

Ross was preceded in his death by his parents Arthur & Palma (Monrad) Roe and brothers Evaard and Arlyn and sister Edelyn.

Services will be at 10:00 a.m., Saturday March 16, 2019 at Parkway Christian Center in Grants Pass. It will be followed by a public reception at the Riverside Conference Center and a private family burial.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to:

Rogue Valley Symphony
1875 Rogue Valley Hwy 99 N Suite 7
Ashland, OR 97520
Ross N. Roe Scholarship
Rogue Community College Foundation
3345 Redwood Highway
Grants Pass, OR 97527

Ross N. Roe Scholarship
Lake Superior State University Foundation
650 W Easterday Ave
Sault Ste. Marie MI 49783