Nancy J. "Nikki" Gross of Salinas, Calif., died April 7, 2015 of heart failure at home.
She was 65. Born in Milwaukie, Wis., to Albert and Jean Harrison, Nikki grew up there, graduating from Custer High School in 1967. She lived in Monterey County since 1976.
An impeccable organizer, Nikki enjoyed a 40-year career in secretarial and office work in many city, county and other government agencies, beginning in Milwaukie and ending in Monterey County, where she also worked for the city of Salinas.
In Monterey County, she particularly enjoyed working as planning commission secretary. She also immensely enjoyed her colleagues in the social services unit.
Nikki married John Gross on Feb. 7, 1970. She fell in love with the Monterey County area while exploring the region with John when he was stationed at the U.S. Army Base in Ford Ord, Calif. John was killed in action on July 27, 1971 while serving in Vietnam.
She and her partner, Mary Griffin, enjoyed countless good times together including traveling, dining, and exploring music, creating treasured memories with lifelong friends and family members. Nikki will be missed by countless friends and beloved family members who loved her unique perspective on life, her stubborn determination to live hers the way she chose, and her unwavering loyalty to those she loved.
A gifted dancer, Nikki thoroughly enjoyed a good time filled with family, friends, live music, laughter and great food. For many years she loved bowling with her friends. Her hobbies included sweeps-staking, reading, watching her favorite television shows and films, playing board games like Yahtzee and cheering on her favorite athletic teams, the San Francisco 49'ers and her beloved San Francisco Giants. Nikki had not missed a Giants game since 2010, and was so thrilled to see them win the season opener on April 6.
Animals benefited from Nikki's generosity and fierce passion for their welfare throughout her life. Nikki's animal family members included Taffy, Sandy and Sassy, who passed on before her, and Samantha, her rescue calico cat who remains at home.
She was preceded in death by her parents, and a brother, Robert.
She is survived by her partner of 28 years, Mary Griffin of Salinas; sister, Christine Held, brothers, Randy and Bruce Harrison; aunts, Dolores Korbel and Alice Gruell; uncle, Ronald Harrison; all of the Milwaukie area; stepchildren, Virginia Solan of Moscow, Idaho and Mary Engle of Redmond, Ore.; and step-grandchildren, Milo Dittrich and Sam Henderson, both of Portland, Ore., and Jessica and David Engle of Bend, Ore.; and numerous nieces and nephews in the Milwaukie area.
A Celebration of Life will be held in Monterey County at a later date. Graveside services were held on Friday, April 17 at Wisconsin Memorial Cemetery in Milwaukie. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to SPCA for Monterey County, 1002 Monterey Salinas Hwy, Salinas, CA 93908. Krause Funeral Home in Milwaukie handled the burial arrangements.
She was 65. Born in Milwaukie, Wis., to Albert and Jean Harrison, Nikki grew up there, graduating from Custer High School in 1967. She lived in Monterey County since 1976.
An impeccable organizer, Nikki enjoyed a 40-year career in secretarial and office work in many city, county and other government agencies, beginning in Milwaukie and ending in Monterey County, where she also worked for the city of Salinas.
In Monterey County, she particularly enjoyed working as planning commission secretary. She also immensely enjoyed her colleagues in the social services unit.
Nikki married John Gross on Feb. 7, 1970. She fell in love with the Monterey County area while exploring the region with John when he was stationed at the U.S. Army Base in Ford Ord, Calif. John was killed in action on July 27, 1971 while serving in Vietnam.
She and her partner, Mary Griffin, enjoyed countless good times together including traveling, dining, and exploring music, creating treasured memories with lifelong friends and family members. Nikki will be missed by countless friends and beloved family members who loved her unique perspective on life, her stubborn determination to live hers the way she chose, and her unwavering loyalty to those she loved.
A gifted dancer, Nikki thoroughly enjoyed a good time filled with family, friends, live music, laughter and great food. For many years she loved bowling with her friends. Her hobbies included sweeps-staking, reading, watching her favorite television shows and films, playing board games like Yahtzee and cheering on her favorite athletic teams, the San Francisco 49'ers and her beloved San Francisco Giants. Nikki had not missed a Giants game since 2010, and was so thrilled to see them win the season opener on April 6.
Animals benefited from Nikki's generosity and fierce passion for their welfare throughout her life. Nikki's animal family members included Taffy, Sandy and Sassy, who passed on before her, and Samantha, her rescue calico cat who remains at home.
She was preceded in death by her parents, and a brother, Robert.
She is survived by her partner of 28 years, Mary Griffin of Salinas; sister, Christine Held, brothers, Randy and Bruce Harrison; aunts, Dolores Korbel and Alice Gruell; uncle, Ronald Harrison; all of the Milwaukie area; stepchildren, Virginia Solan of Moscow, Idaho and Mary Engle of Redmond, Ore.; and step-grandchildren, Milo Dittrich and Sam Henderson, both of Portland, Ore., and Jessica and David Engle of Bend, Ore.; and numerous nieces and nephews in the Milwaukie area.
A Celebration of Life will be held in Monterey County at a later date. Graveside services were held on Friday, April 17 at Wisconsin Memorial Cemetery in Milwaukie. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to SPCA for Monterey County, 1002 Monterey Salinas Hwy, Salinas, CA 93908. Krause Funeral Home in Milwaukie handled the burial arrangements.
Nancy J. "Nikki" Gross of Salinas, Calif., died April 7, 2015 of heart failure at home.
She was 65. Born in Milwaukie, Wis., to Albert and Jean Harrison, Nikki grew up there, graduating from Custer High School in 1967. She lived in Monterey County since 1976.
An impeccable organizer, Nikki enjoyed a 40-year career in secretarial and office work in many city, county and other government agencies, beginning in Milwaukie and ending in Monterey County, where she also worked for the city of Salinas.
In Monterey County, she particularly enjoyed working as planning commission secretary. She also immensely enjoyed her colleagues in the social services unit.
Nikki married John Gross on Feb. 7, 1970. She fell in love with the Monterey County area while exploring the region with John when he was stationed at the U.S. Army Base in Ford Ord, Calif. John was killed in action on July 27, 1971 while serving in Vietnam.
She and her partner, Mary Griffin, enjoyed countless good times together including traveling, dining, and exploring music, creating treasured memories with lifelong friends and family members. Nikki will be missed by countless friends and beloved family members who loved her unique perspective on life, her stubborn determination to live hers the way she chose, and her unwavering loyalty to those she loved.
A gifted dancer, Nikki thoroughly enjoyed a good time filled with family, friends, live music, laughter and great food. For many years she loved bowling with her friends. Her hobbies included sweeps-staking, reading, watching her favorite television shows and films, playing board games like Yahtzee and cheering on her favorite athletic teams, the San Francisco 49'ers and her beloved San Francisco Giants. Nikki had not missed a Giants game since 2010, and was so thrilled to see them win the season opener on April 6.
Animals benefited from Nikki's generosity and fierce passion for their welfare throughout her life. Nikki's animal family members included Taffy, Sandy and Sassy, who passed on before her, and Samantha, her rescue calico cat who remains at home.
She was preceded in death by her parents, and a brother, Robert.
She is survived by her partner of 28 years, Mary Griffin of Salinas; sister, Christine Held, brothers, Randy and Bruce Harrison; aunts, Dolores Korbel and Alice Gruell; uncle, Ronald Harrison; all of the Milwaukie area; stepchildren, Virginia Solan of Moscow, Idaho and Mary Engle of Redmond, Ore.; and step-grandchildren, Milo Dittrich and Sam Henderson, both of Portland, Ore., and Jessica and David Engle of Bend, Ore.; and numerous nieces and nephews in the Milwaukie area.
A Celebration of Life will be held in Monterey County at a later date. Graveside services were held on Friday, April 17 at Wisconsin Memorial Cemetery in Milwaukie. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to SPCA for Monterey County, 1002 Monterey Salinas Hwy, Salinas, CA 93908. Krause Funeral Home in Milwaukie handled the burial arrangements.
She was 65. Born in Milwaukie, Wis., to Albert and Jean Harrison, Nikki grew up there, graduating from Custer High School in 1967. She lived in Monterey County since 1976.
An impeccable organizer, Nikki enjoyed a 40-year career in secretarial and office work in many city, county and other government agencies, beginning in Milwaukie and ending in Monterey County, where she also worked for the city of Salinas.
In Monterey County, she particularly enjoyed working as planning commission secretary. She also immensely enjoyed her colleagues in the social services unit.
Nikki married John Gross on Feb. 7, 1970. She fell in love with the Monterey County area while exploring the region with John when he was stationed at the U.S. Army Base in Ford Ord, Calif. John was killed in action on July 27, 1971 while serving in Vietnam.
She and her partner, Mary Griffin, enjoyed countless good times together including traveling, dining, and exploring music, creating treasured memories with lifelong friends and family members. Nikki will be missed by countless friends and beloved family members who loved her unique perspective on life, her stubborn determination to live hers the way she chose, and her unwavering loyalty to those she loved.
A gifted dancer, Nikki thoroughly enjoyed a good time filled with family, friends, live music, laughter and great food. For many years she loved bowling with her friends. Her hobbies included sweeps-staking, reading, watching her favorite television shows and films, playing board games like Yahtzee and cheering on her favorite athletic teams, the San Francisco 49'ers and her beloved San Francisco Giants. Nikki had not missed a Giants game since 2010, and was so thrilled to see them win the season opener on April 6.
Animals benefited from Nikki's generosity and fierce passion for their welfare throughout her life. Nikki's animal family members included Taffy, Sandy and Sassy, who passed on before her, and Samantha, her rescue calico cat who remains at home.
She was preceded in death by her parents, and a brother, Robert.
She is survived by her partner of 28 years, Mary Griffin of Salinas; sister, Christine Held, brothers, Randy and Bruce Harrison; aunts, Dolores Korbel and Alice Gruell; uncle, Ronald Harrison; all of the Milwaukie area; stepchildren, Virginia Solan of Moscow, Idaho and Mary Engle of Redmond, Ore.; and step-grandchildren, Milo Dittrich and Sam Henderson, both of Portland, Ore., and Jessica and David Engle of Bend, Ore.; and numerous nieces and nephews in the Milwaukie area.
A Celebration of Life will be held in Monterey County at a later date. Graveside services were held on Friday, April 17 at Wisconsin Memorial Cemetery in Milwaukie. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to SPCA for Monterey County, 1002 Monterey Salinas Hwy, Salinas, CA 93908. Krause Funeral Home in Milwaukie handled the burial arrangements.
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