John Cross Jr.

CROSS, Mr. John Jr., - age 87, passed away Saturday January 9, 2016 at his residence. Family hour 10:30 AM Tuesday, January 19, 2016 from the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home 268 North Perry Street, with Funeral service commencing immediately at 11:00AM. Interment Great Lakes National Cemetery, 4200 North Belford Road. Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the funeral home at 10:30 AM Tuesday. Mr. Cross will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, and may be viewed from 1:00PM - 8:00PM Monday. Mr. John Cross, Jr. was born January 6, 1929 in Memphis, Tennessee to the union of the late Willie Mae Blunt and John William Cross. John was the oldest of five siblings and three cousins, Hue, Peal Mae (Aldridge), Willie Mae, William (Howard) Cross, three cousins, Clinton and Eldridge Mabon and Thomas James Wooden. Due to the passing of their mothers at a very young age, all eight children were raised as siblings by their grandparents (Mama) Pearl and (Papa) Blunt (ten years to eight months in age). John attended Booker T. Washington in Memphis, Tennessee where he graduated in June 1947. Then went on to accomplish major events in life. On January 8, 1951 he joined the United States Army and served his country in the Korean War until 1953. While on leave during his Army furlough John married his sweetheart Elizabeth Virginia Hirsch at a church parish on November 3, 1951 where they remained married for sixty four years. John and Elizabeth chose to relocate from the south Memphis, Tennessee to the north Michigan by moving to Pontiac, Michigan in the year 1955. Approximately one year later they had one child Rosalind Marie. In addition to being a full time Dad he always found time to teach his daughter on how to be Ms. Fix-it. John could always find the time to take pride in his lawn, to install, repair or replace anything around the house. He always had the know how to learn from others just by watching. John and Liz were avid Detroit Lions football fans and held season tickets for thirty four years. However, he rarely missed a Detroit Pistons, Detroit Tiger or a Detroit Red Wings game on television because he loved Detroit sports. John retired from Clinton Valley Hospital as an Area Supervisor of Nursing after thirty years of dedicated service and retired from the Pontiac School District after thirteen years of service but continued to sub (Support staff) for the school district when asked until the age of 83. His passion was his compliment to volunteer with young males as a mentor for the organization Male Responsibility Network (MRN). Mr. Cross leaves to cherish his memory wife of sixty four years, Elizabeth Cross; devoted daughter, Rosaline Cross of Lithia Springs, GA; sister, Pearlie Mae Aldrich of Memphis, TN and other relatives and friends. Mr. Cross was preceded in death by his parents, Willie M. and John W. Cross; and siblings, Hugh Cross, Willie M. Cross and Howard Cross.

John Cross Jr.

January 6, 1929 - January 9, 2016