William “Bill” Ray Gross

William “Bill” Gross passed away on September 4, 2020. He was born and raised in Santa Barbara, California and attended Harding Elementary, La Cumbre Junior High, and graduated from Santa Barbara High School in 1972. Bill had been employed by Air Liquide and Praxair in Santa Barbara and Ventura Steel in Ventura, the company from which he recently retired.

Bill’s most treasured lifetime memories were those of growing up in Santa Barbara. While he moved to Ventura several years ago, one of his favorite pastimes was to return to the old Westside neighborhoods where he grew up, sometimes stopping in to visit long-time friends.

During these trips he would also bicycle the Santa Barbara area coastline. In earlier years, he enjoyed dirt biking in the back country of Santa Barbara.

A die hard Dodgers fan, Bill’s passion was baseball. He played, listened to, and watched baseball his entire life.
From a young age Bill had a great appreciation for music. A member of the Bonnie Langley Youth Band where he played the trumpet, his interest in music continued. He loved 60’s and 70’s music and enjoyed many hours listening to his favorite songs through his extensive sound system.

Bill was born to the late Martha Lou Ruddick Gross and Robert “Bob” Carl Gross on December 21, 1953 in Santa Barbara, California. He is survived by his siblings Kathy Gross Jones of Raleigh, North Carolina, Brenda Gross Jehle of Ojai, California, brother-in-law, Bob Jehle, four nieces, and two great-nieces.
A memorial service for Bill will be held in Santa Barbara at a later date.