Edith Reneé Ross (née Schenk) 87, of Monterey passed away Saturday, June 23, 2018, at home surrounded by her family.
Born Aug. 23, 1930, in New York, she was the daughter of Bessie Ornstein Schenk and Abraham Schenk. She graduated from Far Rockaway High School in 1948 in Far Rockaway, New York. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Queens College in 1952. She pursued graduate studies in art history at Hofstra University during the 1970s. In 1996, at the age of 65, she enrolled in the School of Social Work at New York University and was awarded a master’s degree in social work in 1998.
Edith — known as Edie to her friends and Dede to her grandchildren — was an accomplished musician, artist, cook and baker. As a young woman, she was a serious student of piano and painting, and began a lifelong love of driving in her powder-blue Ford convertible. Through her life she was an historian and collector of American antiques, quilts and coverlets, and children’s toys. Beginning in her 50s and for the remainder of her long life, she pursued a multifaceted career as a potter, clay and fiber artist, and photographer, working in many formats and media.
Edith married the love of her life, Stanley Ross, June 10, 1957. Together, they had three children: Linda Beth Ross, Beth Ann Ross of San Francisco, California, and Richard Stewart Ross of Los Angeles, California; six grandchildren: David Louis Danza, Alexander Jordan Danza, Maia Felice Ross Trupin, Elias William Ross Trupin, Clara Owen Ross and Frances Sequoia Ross; and six dogs. Her greatest joy in life was raising and caring for all of them.
She was predeceased by her daughter Linda, her two sisters Aileen Nadelson and Harriet Schwartz, and her nephew Andrew Nadelson. She is survived by her remaining children and grandchildren together with her nephew Jay Nadelson of Florida and niece Carole Schwartz of Connecticut; her daughters-in-law Laura Susan Trupin and Kristina Lerman; and friends too many to count.
Memorial donations in her memory should be made to Gould Farm c/o Finnerty & Stevens Funeral Home, 426 Main St., Great Barrington, MA 01230. To send remembrances to the family, go to http://www.finnertyandstevens.com.
