The Daily Herald (Everett, WA)
February 9/11, 2005
Ross H. McPherson passed away peacefully on February 6, 2005, in Monroe, Washington, surrounded by family. He was born in Millington, Michigan, on November 24, 1942, the son of Robert and Phyllis McPherson. He attended Millington Community Schools until 1956 when his family moved to Sanford, Michigan. Ross graduated from Midland High School in Midland, Michigan in 1960.
After serving in the Air Force, Ross moved to Washington State in 1966 (where he worked for Boeing Aircraft) and then to Monroe in 1972, where he lived the remainder of his life. First serving on the Monroe Police Department, he later retired from the Snohomish County Sheriff's Department after serving the communities of the Skykomish Valley for over 30 years. Over this time Ross's kindness and caring touched many lives in the community. His love for spending time with his grandchildren and attending weekly poker games with his buddies will provide wonderful memories for his family and friends. He will be remembered as a loving husband, caring, kind and generous father, grandfather, son, brother and friend. He will be greatly missed by all.
Ross leaves behind his wife, Elizabeth McPherson; parents, Robert and Phyllis McPherson of Millington, Michigan; daughters, Renee (Jeff) Cooper, Lisa (Mark) Potter, and Nicole (Doug) Christian; son, Greg (Joey) Fleming; grandchildren, Linzie, Samantha and Quinn Cooper, Lauren and Caden Potter, Jake, Madison, Gabriel, Drew and Emily Christian and Logan Fleming; sisters, Merry (Jeff) Cypher and JoEllen (Wilfred) Bow of Millington; nephew, Jared (Michelle) Cypher of Lansing, Michigan; and niece, Hilary (Peter) Schiefer of Jacksonville, North Carolina; sisters-in-law, Ruth (Bill) Soren, Mary (Dick) Whitacker, and Esther (Jack) Biehl; and countless friends.
Ross was preceded in death by his very dear friends, Bob and Sandy Holman.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Friday, February 11, at Monroe Community Chapel, 23515 Old Owen Road, Monroe.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to The Puget Sound Kidney Center, Everett, Washington in the name of Ross McPherson
The Seattle Times
February 11, 2005
Byline: Jennifer Sullivan
As a teenager growing up in Millington, Mich., Ross McPherson would excitedly tell his family about adventures he had riding with local police officers. He loved chatting with, and assisting, his neighbors.
About 15 years, and two careers, later, Mr. McPherson reconnected with his teenage memories and joined the Monroe Police Department; a move that sparked 30 years of patrolling East Snohomish County's rural areas as a police officer and then a deputy sheriff.
"He loved people, he loved the mountains," said his wife, Elizabeth McPherson. "He felt people really needed him and he was a friend. A lot of people called him for advice. They knocked on [our] door."
Mr. McPherson died Feb. 6 from complications stemming from heart failure. The longtime Monroe resident was 62.
During his 29 years with the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office, Mr. McPherson, known among his co-workers as "Mac," made it abundantly clear he didn't want to leave his east county patrol position.
"He really liked being out on patrol," said his daughter, Renee Cooper of Monroe. "He knew every nook and cranny of this valley. He knew every road, every shortcut."
Sultan Police Chief Fred Walser said Mr. McPherson was "a walking dictionary and a walking map." He remembered hearing Mr. McPherson get on the police radio to give directions to officers who were lost in East Snohomish County.
Undersheriff Steven O'Connor said Mr. McPherson "had a reputation of knowing just about everything that went on in east county."
"The good, the bad and the in-between, Ross knew about it," O'Connor said. "The most remarkable thing about him was how many people he knew out east and how he was able to keep his finger on everything that was going on. If you were looking for somebody in east county, you would go to Ross McPherson."
Mr. McPherson was born in Millington, Mich., on Nov. 23, 1942. He was the eldest child of Bob and Phyllis McPherson. After graduating from high school, Mr. McPherson joined the Air Force for four years.
He returned to Millington and married Janis Kennedy and got a job as an electrical engineer with Boeing and eventually moved to Seattle. The couple had two daughters before they divorced.
When Mr. McPherson was laid off in the early 1970s he applied to be a Monroe police officer. He left the department and was hired by the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office in 1973.
In October 1988, Mr. McPherson was awarded a certificate of merit and in 1997 he was named deputy of the year.
When Mr. McPherson retired in May 2002 he was ill with kidney and heart problems.
"He was just bigger than life. He was just such an unselfish, giving person," said Elizabeth McPherson. "The more I was with him I saw it every day. He never said, 'Why me, why am I so ill?' He said, 'I'm fine,' and we all knew he wasn't."
In addition to his wife and daughter Renee, Mr. McPherson is survived by his parents, Bob and Phyllis McPherson of Millington, Mich.; sisters Merry Cypher and Jo Ellen Bow of Millington, Mich.; daughters Lisa Potter of Marysville, and Nicole Christian of Monroe; son Greg Fleming of Colorado Springs, Colo.; and 11 grandchildren.
A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. today at the Monroe Community Chapel, 23515 Old Owen Road. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to the Puget Sound Kidney Centers.
