Male, Born | in Bladen, Nebraska on 4/20/1912 |
Died | 1/9/1980 (Buffalo, Wyoming) |
Born April 20, 1912 (as he successfully claimed to the Social Security Administration; however, all records available to me show he was born April 20, 1914), at Bladen, Nebraska, of George Granville ROSS and Olive Augusta (MILLION) ROSS. (The 2000 census showed Bladen had a population of 291).
Howard married Stella May COOK and had children Henry Randall, Peggy Alice, Roy Edward, and Ralph James (Ralph and Roy were twins). That marriage ended in divorce in the late 1940’s, probably in Buffalo, Wyoming.
[Stella moved to California after the divorce, and kept in contact only with Lucina (“Aunt Billie”; wife of William Bryan ROSS). They were best of friends, and Billie always spoke highly of her. Stella called me once shortly before she died of a pulmonary disease, and I went to visit her at her home in Sacramento. Although she was my mother, I only remember meeting her one other time, at Ralph’s funeral in Buffalo, Wyoming. She remarried to a man named ALEXANDER and had a son, Jerry ALEXANDER. I met him while I was there; I believe he lived in Placerville, or thereabouts. He had an automobile restoration business. That was about 1979.]
Howard was a bricklayer by trade, requiring him to “go where the work was.” The family moved a great deal, living in Tekamah and Omaha, Nebraska; and Hoisington, Larned, Great Bend, Newton, Kansas.
He married, second, on June 24, 1950, Mattie Louise TAYLOR. They had children Lottie Louise, George Granville, Myrtle June, and Howard Randall, Jr. In addition, Mattie brought 2 children from a previous marriage to Albert Benjamin COLEMAN: Auretta Mae COLEMAN, and Raynold Thomas COLEMAN.
Shortly before his death, Howard confided to me that he had been married a third time, but that I failed to write down the name. That marriage was brief, ending in an annulment.
Howard died January 9, 1980, at home in Buffalo, Wyoming. His death came sudden, of a heart attack. He was cremated and his ashes scattered over the Big Horn Mountains, according to his wishes.