Shirley Catherine Ross

After five weeks of home hospice care lovingly rendered by her children, our strong, brave, much cherished Mom, Grammy, Big Sis and Auntie peacefully slipped away on Thursday morning, October 23, 2014. Catherine "Cat" Shirley Elizabeth was born in Hartville, SC on June 24, 1933. Her mother, Andrew Ross Perkins, moved the family to Worcester, MA the month that Cat turned 14 years old. In Worcester, Shirley would attend the public schools and join the family church, St. Andrews United Methodist Church, now Covenant-St. Andrews UM Church where her nine children from the union of her and Gordon Royal Ross received their foundation in the love of Christ. Gordon, and three of her offspring, Andrew and Clarence Ross and Deborah Jupiter (Tony), preceded Cat in death. Surviving her are four daughters and two sons: Shirley Ross of Worcester, Andrea Osae and her husband Rexford of Spencer, Catherine Ross of Springfield, Helen Ross of Springfield, and Otis and Gordon Ross, both of Worcester. Additional survivors include 15 grandchildren, 30 great grandchildren and one great, great grandchild; a sister, Mary F. Ross of Washington, DC and Louis Perkins of Worcester; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends. Shirley had two passions: her family and, a close second, bingo. She faithfully rode the bingo circuits of Worcester, Springfield and any other city she visited for more than a day. We watched in awe as she played 24 cards at a time , dapped every number called while alerting those of us who sat beside her that we had missed numbers. We miss her much already. In spite of our ache that results from her going, we are grateful to God that the pain generated by rupturing aneurisms can no longer make her life miserable. Moreover, for being the blessings of insight, laughter and wisdom because Catherine Shirley Elizabeth Ross touched our lives, we daily acclaim, "Thank you Jesus." The Celebration of Shirley's Life service will be held Thursday, October 30th 2014 at 12 noon in the MERCADANTE FUNERAL HOME & CHAPEL, 370 Plantation St. The Rev. Dr. Louis G. Bond will officiate. Burial will follow next to her husband and son in Hope Cemetery. A period of calling hours will be held from 10 am to 12 noon prior to the service on Thursday.