Ross, Mary Harvey

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Category: Obituaries

Published on Sunday, July 08, 2012 08:29

Written by NRVNews

Mary Harvey Ross, of Blacksburg, died peacefully in her home on July 6, 2012. She was born on April 1, 1925, in Albany, N.Y., to Roy Newman Harvey and Myrtle King Harvey. She grew up in Delhi, N.Y., where she developed a great love for the natural sciences. Mary Harvey attended Cornell University where she obtained her B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. with distinction in Geology. She met fellow Ph.D. student, Robert Donald Ross, while attending Cornell and they married on December 20, 1947. They both worked at Oak Ridge National Laboratory on Oak Ridge, Tenn., before moving to Virginia Tech (then "V.P.I.") in 1951. They were married for 36 years until his death in 1983. Mary H. Ross's distinguished career in Entomology at Virginia Tech spanned 38 years, and she was awarded Professor Emeritus in 1997. She was a pioneer in the research of the genetics and behavioral studies of the German cockroach. She was awarded the Alumni Award for Excellence in Research from Virginia Tech in 1983. She is survived by her children, Mary, Robert and Nancy, who will always remember and cherish her love and dedication to her family. She had a gentle nature combined with a keen mind and very clear eye. A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held on Saturday, July 14, 2012, at the McCoy Funeral Home Chapel in Blacksburg. You are invited to join the family at 4 p.m., with the service following at 5 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the James M. Grayson Scholarship Fund of the Department of Entomology, Virginia Tech. Arrangements by McCoy Funeral Home Blacksburg. 540-552-3211.