Excerpts from obituary published in the Seattle Times on 7/12/2015:

Doris Ruth Gross was born on June 10, 1921.  She passed peacefully on June 26, 2015, at Retsil Veteran’s Home in Port Orchard, Washington.  Doris was born in Grangeville, Idaho, but grew up in Yakima, Washington.  Her life was one of service to veterans and love of her family.  She joined the Navy in World War II at the age of 20, where she was a link instructor for Navy pilots.  There she fell in love and married Ivan Crouse who died in the war. 

Doris returned to Washington to attend college at the University of Washington, married Wallace Gross, had a family, and worked as an examiner for new recruits and co-founded the West Seattle based American Legion Post 204, an all-female post known as the “Service Girls.”  In 1979, Doris was the first women to be elected to serve as Commander of any state in the USA for the American Legion.  In 2013 the West Seattle’s Veteran’s Legion Post honored Doris by naming the soon to be renovated Center board room the Doris Gross Executive Board Room.  Doris continued active in veteran affairs.  She acted as a lobbyist for veterans and was appointed by President Reagan to be on a board to consult for veteran affairs.  Doris was instrumental in working on the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., and the National Veteran’s Cemetery in Kent, Washington, to name just a few issues that she fought for veterans.

Doris had a love of life and always kept a positive view on life in any circumstance.  She was loving and giving, always believing in the goodness of people.  When Doris Gross walked into a room you always saw a true lady that made the world a better place.  Following a funeral service with full military honors she was been laid to final rest at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, Washington.

Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)