Obituaries for March 8, 2010

Matthew Gross

Sgt. 1st Class Matthew James Gross, 42, of Joseph,died Feb. 25, 2010, at Hermiston.

His military funeral was at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Joseph High School Gymnasium. Burial with military honors was at the Joseph Cemetery.

Matt was born on June 10, 1967, at Vallejo, Calif. He was raised in a military family, living all around the United States.

When he was 16 he moved to Joseph, which he has called his home since. Matt was a 1984 Enterprise High School graduate. He then joined the U.S. Navy, serving in the Persian Gulf. After his honorable discharge, he returned to Wallowa County working in the timber industry for several years.

Matt then worked in draft and design for his brother, Tony Gross at Eagle Cad Services. He next entered into a new full-time career with the Oregon National Guard where he had served for the last nine years.

Matt married Tami James on Oct. 2, 1994, at Joseph. During his time in the Oregon National Guard he had been called up to active duty, serving in Iraq. Matt loved spending time with his children and fellow soldiers and he enjoyed riding his Harley.

 Survivors include his wife, Tami, of Joseph; daughters, Lisa and Kari of Kuna, Idaho, and Stephanie, Felicity, and Destiny of Joseph; sons, Dakoda and Jacob of Joseph; brothers: Tony of Joseph and Timothy and Kevin of Whidby Island, Wash.; his mother, Lynne Gross of Imnaha; grandparents, Harry and Filomina Gross of Boyton Beach, Fla., and Ed and Joyce Culbertson of Ocean Park, Wash.; two grandchildren, Sirus and Zizick; and several nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Gross Family Memorial Fund at any Community Bank location.

Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in charge of arrangements.

Condolences  may be left at this site: www.burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.