Frank George Gross, OMC (May 23, 1919 – January 13, 2006) was a

philanthropist Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the Public good (economics), public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private goo ...

awarded the

Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship The Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship is a provincial medal of merit that is awarded in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was established by the Government of Ontario in 1973 to recognize people who, through exceptional long-term efforts, hav ...

(OMC) one month after his death in 2006.Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship Recipients Announced: Thirty-Eight Ontarians Recognized For Their Outstanding Public Contributions, Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration, February 2, 2006
/ref>Boughner B., Schwab D. Frank Gross remembered with medal, Chatham Daily News, February 7, 2006 He is the only

Chatham-Kent Chatham-Kent ( 2021 population: 104,316)Government of Ontario The government of Ontario (french: Gouvernement de l'Ontario) is the body responsible for the administration of the Canadian province of Ontario. A constitutional monarchy, the Crown—represented in the province by the lieutenant governor� ...

for

humanitarianism Humanitarianism is an active belief in the value of human life, whereby humans practice benevolent treatment and provide assistance to other humans to reduce suffering and improve the conditions of humanity for moral, altruistic, and emotional ...

. For 50 years, he had been well known in the Chatham-Kent region as a

life insurance Life insurance (or life assurance, especially in the Commonwealth of Nations) is a contract between an insurance policy holder and an insurer or assurer, where the insurer promises to pay a designated beneficiary a sum of money upon the death ...

underwriter Underwriting (UW) services are provided by some large financial institutions, such as banks, insurance companies and investment houses, whereby they guarantee payment in case of damage or financial loss and accept the financial risk for liabilit ...

war veteran A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in a particular job, occupation or Craft, field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in a military. A military vete ...

freemason Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...

cyclist Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of cycles for transport, recreation, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", or "bikers". Apart from two ...

and humanitarian mainly for the

Canadian Cancer Society The Canadian Cancer Society (french: Société canadienne du cancer) is Canada's largest national cancer charity and the largest national charitable funder of cancer research in Canada. History The idea to form the Canadian Cancer Society origin ...

. Over the last 20 years of his life, he was recognized with nine local, provincial or national awards for humanitarian contributions.

Military service and business career

Frank Gross was enlisted in the Canadian Army on August 8, 1942, stationed at

CFB Borden Canadian Forces Base Borden (also CFB Borden, French: Base des Forces canadiennes Borden or BFC Borden), formerly RCAF Station Borden, is a large Canadian Forces base located in Ontario. The historic birthplace of the Royal Canadian Air Force, CF ...

, Ontario and Aldershot, England and trained in

tank A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and good battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engin ...

operations. Rising to the rank of

Corporal Corporal is a military rank in use in some form by many militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. The word is derived from the medieval Italian phrase ("head of a body"). The rank is usually the lowest ranking non ...

, he served in England during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

as a tank trainer until his discharge on March 22, 1946. For war service, he was awarded the Defence Medal, the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and the War Medal, all displayed in the adjacent picture. Upon his return to Canada, Frank became a lifelong member of the

Royal Canadian Legion The Royal Canadian Legion is a non-profit Canadian ex-service organization (veterans' organization) founded in 1925. Membership includes people who have served as military, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, provincial and municipal police, Royal ...

, Branch 28, Chatham. Over the period of 1946-1956, Frank was a salesman for

Fuller Brush Company The Fuller Brush Company sells branded and private label products for personal care as well as commercial and household cleaning. It was founded in 1906 by Alfred Fuller. Consolidated Foods, now Sara Lee Corporation, acquired Fuller Brush in 19 ...

after which he joined London Life Insurance Company as a life

. He was President of the Kent County Life Underwriters Association in 1963 and was recognized for 21 consecutive years with the National Quality Award from the Canadian Life Insurance Association. Frank retired from London Life in 1983.

Freemasonry

Frank Gross was initiated into the Parthenon Lodge, number 267 of the

Masonic Order Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...

, in Chatham, Ontario, September, 1949. He rose to become

Worshipful Master In Craft Freemasonry, sometimes known as Blue Lodge Freemasonry, every Masonic lodge elects or appoints Masonic lodge officers to execute the necessary functions of the lodge's life and work. The precise list of such offices may vary between the ...

of Parthenon Lodge in 1954, was nominated to the

Scottish Rite The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry (the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction in the United States often omits the ''and'', while the English Constitution in the United Kingdom omits the ''Scottish''), commonly known as simply the Sco ...

Lodge of Perfection and Rose Croix in 1958, and was distinguished with the Gold Honor Award,

York Rite The York Rite, sometimes referred to as the American Rite, is one of several Rites of Freemasonry. It is named for, but not practiced in York, Yorkshire, England. A Rite is a series of progressive degrees that are conferred by various Masonic ...

Sovereign College of North America, for Outstanding Masonry on May 7, 2002. Frank was recognized with the Outstanding Service Certificate for Contributions to Masonry and Volunteering, November 25, 2002, presented by the Grand Master of the

Grand Lodge A Grand Lodge (or Grand Orient or other similar title) is the overarching governing body of a fraternal or other similarly organized group in a given area, usually a city, state, or country. In Freemasonry A Grand Lodge or Grand Orient is the us ...

of Ontario. To celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Grand Lodge of Ontario, the Masonic District Deputy Grand Master for Chatham-Kent designated the 2005 fund-raising effort in support of Frank Gross for his annual Great Ride Against Cancer, raising $18,155. Each year over 2006-8, the Parthenon Lodge provided to a local graduating high school student a cash

bursary A bursary is a monetary award made by any educational institution or funding authority to individuals or groups. It is usually awarded to enable a student to attend school, university or college when they might not be able to, otherwise. Some awa ...

named the Frank Gross Academic and Humanitarian Award.

Cycling and philanthropy

Wearing his red cycling clothing and riding the only 10-speed road bike he ever owned—a 1979 CCM Silver Ghost—Frank Gross was a familiar sight on Chatham-Kent streets and roads over the period of his cycling years, 1976 to November 3, 2005, his last log entry of 11.75 miles. A careful keeper of records, Gross logged 89,829 miles or 145,523 km over his 29 years of cycling. From April until September, 2008, the Silver Ghost and a history of Frank Gross' charitable activities were on display in the Chatham-Kent Museum. Beginning in 1979, Frank participated each year through 2005 in the Annual Great Ride Against Cancer held by the Chatham-Kent branch of the Canadian Cancer Society. By pledges received for his rides, Frank collected $83,584 from 2,622 total sponsors over these 26 years of fund-raising for cancer research and was the single largest fundraiser almost every year.

Community service and awards

Frank Gross donated his time generously, often spending hours visiting hospitalized neighbors, Masonic Lodge brothers, their family members or elderly friends unable to leave their homes. From 1994-2003, he was a volunteer driver for the Chatham-Kent branch of the

, logging 243 trips and 33,824 miles or 56,374 km transporting a total of 409 patients in his own vehicle between Chatham and

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

Windsor Windsor may refer to: Places Australia * Windsor, New South Wales ** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area * Windsor, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland **Shire of Windsor, a former local government authority around Wi ...

hospitals. For these activities and his cycling on behalf of fund-raising for cancer research, Frank was recognized with the following local, provincial or national awards as reported by two Chatham newspapers: * Kent County Senior Achievement Award, June 16, 1995, from Hon. Michael Harris,

Premier of Ontario The premier of Ontario (french: premier ministre de l'Ontario) is the head of government of Ontario. Under the Westminster system, the premier governs with the Confidence and supply, confidence of a majority the elected Legislative Assembly of On ...

, July 24, 1995 * Ontario Senior Achievement Award, Parliament Buildings, Queen’s Park (Toronto), June 20, 1995, presented by

Lieutenant Governor of Ontario The lieutenant governor of Ontario (, in French: ''Lieutenant-gouverneur'' (if male) or ''Lieutenante-gouverneure'' (if female) ''de l'Ontario'') is the viceregal representative in Ontario of the , who operates distinctly within the province bu ...

, Henry Jackman *

Canadian Red Cross The Canadian Red Cross Society ()Royal Canadian Legion The Royal Canadian Legion is a non-profit Canadian ex-service organization (veterans' organization) founded in 1925. Membership includes people who have served as military, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, provincial and municipal police, Royal ...

, Ontario Command, Branch 28-Chatham, 1998 * 20 year Service Award, Canadian Cancer Society, October 29, 1999 *

International Year of Volunteers International Year of Volunteers was designated for 2001 by the United Nations General Assembly. The initiative aimed at increased recognition, facilitation, networking and promotion of volunteering, to highlight the achievements of the millions of ...

, Government of Canada Medal, presented at Chatham-Kent Council Meeting, Chatham City Hall, December 17, 2001 * Ontario Volunteer Service Award, September 17, 2002, presented by Hon.

Carl DeFaria Carl DeFaria (born ) is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1995 to 2003 and was a cabinet minister in the government of Ernie Eves. Background DeFaria has a B ...

, Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and ImmigrationStaff reporter. Volunteers are recognized. Chatham Daily News, September 18, 2002 *

(

posthumous Posthumous may refer to: * Posthumous award - an award, prize or medal granted after the recipient's death * Posthumous publication – material published after the author's death * Posthumous (album), ''Posthumous'' (album), by Warne Marsh, 1987 * ...

Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration The Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism is a ministry of the Government of Ontario that is responsible for citizenship and multiculturalism issues in the Canadian province of Ontario. From 2014 to 2016, it was known as the Ministry of C ...

, Parliament Buildings, Queen’s Park, Toronto, February 7, 2006, presented by Lieutenant Governor of Ontario,

James Bartleman James Karl Bartleman (born 24 December 1939) is a former Canadian diplomat and author who served as the 27th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario from 2002 to 2007. Bartleman grew up in the Muskoka town of Port Carling, and he is a member of the ...

* Memorial Banquet and Community Partner Award, Canadian Cancer Society, October 28, 2006

Family and death

Gross was born in

Chesley, Ontario Chesley (originally Sconeville) is a community in Bruce County, Ontario, Canada, located within the municipality of Arran–Elderslie. The name Sconeville was replaced in 1868 to mark the career of Solomon Chesley, an official in the pre-Confed ...

, had lived in

Listowel, Ontario Listowel is an unincorporated community in Ontario, Canada, located in the Municipality of North Perth. Incorporated as the Town of Listowel in 1875, it was dissolved in 1998 following amalgamation with several other communities in the northern ...

until 1948, and established his residence in Chatham at 11 Stone Avenue in April, 1948. Frank Gross married Lilian Gladys Bailey (June 23, 1914 - September 23, 1994) of

Brooklin, Ontario Brooklin is a community in the town of Whitby, Ontario, Canada, north of Central Whitby, at the south junction of Ontario Highways 12 and 7. Brooklin was located primarily in rural area about two decades ago, but it is now part of the urban Wh ...

on June 26, 1941. They had two sons, Phillip Garth (April 18, 1947 born in Listowel) and Paul Munn (April 17, 1950 born in Chatham). Following complications associated with

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

of the

pancreas The pancreas is an organ of the digestive system and endocrine system of vertebrates. In humans, it is located in the abdomen behind the stomach and functions as a gland. The pancreas is a mixed or heterocrine gland, i.e. it has both an end ...

first identified on December 28, 2005, Frank Gross died at the Chatham-Kent Public Health Alliance Hospital at 08.34 on Friday, January 13, 2006.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gross, Frank People from Chatham-Kent 1919 births 2006 deaths Deaths from pancreatic cancer Canadian male cyclists Canadian military personnel of World War II Deaths from cancer in Ontario Insurance underwriters