Helen Ross, a 35-year former Ridgefielder and wife of the late artist Alexander Ross, died Tuesday, May 8, on Hilton Head Island, S.C. She'd relocated there from Ridgefield in July 2001. Mrs. Ross had lived previously with her family and husband in Wilton resident, from 1946 to 1965.
She was born Helen Roberta Connelly on Dec. 29, 1908, the daughter of Helen and Andrew Connelly of Wilkinsburg, Pa., the oldest of four children.
In the early 1920s, Mrs. Ross earned a scholarship to nearby Cathedral High School, from which she graduated in 1926.
After high school, she became a member of the Queen's Daughters, the young women's chapter of the Pittsburgh Council of Catholic Women. She worked briefly before meeting young artist Alexander Ross, a Wilkinsburg neighbor.
"She and Dad were engaged for four years, then lived with her parents for the first two years after they were married because of tough times during the Depression," said daughter Wendy Ross Hawkins, of Hilton Head.
Mrs. Ross's husband's career took off shortly after the two were married in 1932. They moved to New York in 1939. Over the next 12 years, he painted more than 144 covers for Good Housekeeping magazine and hundreds of story illustrations for The Saturday Evening Post, McCall's, Ladies Home Journal and others.
After living in Pelham Manor, N.Y., and Greenwich in the early 1940s, the couple moved to Wilton. Mrs. Ross became a fixture with Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church and was active as a member of the church's Holy Name Society.
In 1966, they moved to Ridgefield and she became a longtime member of the Ridgefield Garden Club.
Mrs. Ross is survived by two daughters, Arlene Ross of Phoenix, Ariz., and Wendy Hawkins of Hilton Head Island, S.C.; a son, Alan Ross of Columbia, Tenn.; and 12 grandchildren. Her first son, Robert Ross, formerly of Gales Ferry, is deceased.
"Our father used to call her .The Rock, '" said oldest daughter Arlene. "And that she was, enabling him to pursue his art, while she kept everything else going in the family."
A Mass was conducted at St. Mary's Church, Ridgefield, on Tuesday, May 15, with burial at St. Mary's Cemetery.
The Kane Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. —Macklin Reid, The Ridgefield Press, May 17, 2007
She was born Helen Roberta Connelly on Dec. 29, 1908, the daughter of Helen and Andrew Connelly of Wilkinsburg, Pa., the oldest of four children.
In the early 1920s, Mrs. Ross earned a scholarship to nearby Cathedral High School, from which she graduated in 1926.
After high school, she became a member of the Queen's Daughters, the young women's chapter of the Pittsburgh Council of Catholic Women. She worked briefly before meeting young artist Alexander Ross, a Wilkinsburg neighbor.
"She and Dad were engaged for four years, then lived with her parents for the first two years after they were married because of tough times during the Depression," said daughter Wendy Ross Hawkins, of Hilton Head.
Mrs. Ross's husband's career took off shortly after the two were married in 1932. They moved to New York in 1939. Over the next 12 years, he painted more than 144 covers for Good Housekeeping magazine and hundreds of story illustrations for The Saturday Evening Post, McCall's, Ladies Home Journal and others.
After living in Pelham Manor, N.Y., and Greenwich in the early 1940s, the couple moved to Wilton. Mrs. Ross became a fixture with Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church and was active as a member of the church's Holy Name Society.
In 1966, they moved to Ridgefield and she became a longtime member of the Ridgefield Garden Club.
Mrs. Ross is survived by two daughters, Arlene Ross of Phoenix, Ariz., and Wendy Hawkins of Hilton Head Island, S.C.; a son, Alan Ross of Columbia, Tenn.; and 12 grandchildren. Her first son, Robert Ross, formerly of Gales Ferry, is deceased.
"Our father used to call her .The Rock, '" said oldest daughter Arlene. "And that she was, enabling him to pursue his art, while she kept everything else going in the family."
A Mass was conducted at St. Mary's Church, Ridgefield, on Tuesday, May 15, with burial at St. Mary's Cemetery.
The Kane Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. —Macklin Reid, The Ridgefield Press, May 17, 2007
Helen Ross, a 35-year former Ridgefielder and wife of the late artist Alexander Ross, died Tuesday, May 8, on Hilton Head Island, S.C. She'd relocated there from Ridgefield in July 2001. Mrs. Ross had lived previously with her family and husband in Wilton resident, from 1946 to 1965.
She was born Helen Roberta Connelly on Dec. 29, 1908, the daughter of Helen and Andrew Connelly of Wilkinsburg, Pa., the oldest of four children.
In the early 1920s, Mrs. Ross earned a scholarship to nearby Cathedral High School, from which she graduated in 1926.
After high school, she became a member of the Queen's Daughters, the young women's chapter of the Pittsburgh Council of Catholic Women. She worked briefly before meeting young artist Alexander Ross, a Wilkinsburg neighbor.
"She and Dad were engaged for four years, then lived with her parents for the first two years after they were married because of tough times during the Depression," said daughter Wendy Ross Hawkins, of Hilton Head.
Mrs. Ross's husband's career took off shortly after the two were married in 1932. They moved to New York in 1939. Over the next 12 years, he painted more than 144 covers for Good Housekeeping magazine and hundreds of story illustrations for The Saturday Evening Post, McCall's, Ladies Home Journal and others.
After living in Pelham Manor, N.Y., and Greenwich in the early 1940s, the couple moved to Wilton. Mrs. Ross became a fixture with Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church and was active as a member of the church's Holy Name Society.
In 1966, they moved to Ridgefield and she became a longtime member of the Ridgefield Garden Club.
Mrs. Ross is survived by two daughters, Arlene Ross of Phoenix, Ariz., and Wendy Hawkins of Hilton Head Island, S.C.; a son, Alan Ross of Columbia, Tenn.; and 12 grandchildren. Her first son, Robert Ross, formerly of Gales Ferry, is deceased.
"Our father used to call her .The Rock, '" said oldest daughter Arlene. "And that she was, enabling him to pursue his art, while she kept everything else going in the family."
A Mass was conducted at St. Mary's Church, Ridgefield, on Tuesday, May 15, with burial at St. Mary's Cemetery.
The Kane Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. —Macklin Reid, The Ridgefield Press, May 17, 2007
She was born Helen Roberta Connelly on Dec. 29, 1908, the daughter of Helen and Andrew Connelly of Wilkinsburg, Pa., the oldest of four children.
In the early 1920s, Mrs. Ross earned a scholarship to nearby Cathedral High School, from which she graduated in 1926.
After high school, she became a member of the Queen's Daughters, the young women's chapter of the Pittsburgh Council of Catholic Women. She worked briefly before meeting young artist Alexander Ross, a Wilkinsburg neighbor.
"She and Dad were engaged for four years, then lived with her parents for the first two years after they were married because of tough times during the Depression," said daughter Wendy Ross Hawkins, of Hilton Head.
Mrs. Ross's husband's career took off shortly after the two were married in 1932. They moved to New York in 1939. Over the next 12 years, he painted more than 144 covers for Good Housekeeping magazine and hundreds of story illustrations for The Saturday Evening Post, McCall's, Ladies Home Journal and others.
After living in Pelham Manor, N.Y., and Greenwich in the early 1940s, the couple moved to Wilton. Mrs. Ross became a fixture with Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church and was active as a member of the church's Holy Name Society.
In 1966, they moved to Ridgefield and she became a longtime member of the Ridgefield Garden Club.
Mrs. Ross is survived by two daughters, Arlene Ross of Phoenix, Ariz., and Wendy Hawkins of Hilton Head Island, S.C.; a son, Alan Ross of Columbia, Tenn.; and 12 grandchildren. Her first son, Robert Ross, formerly of Gales Ferry, is deceased.
"Our father used to call her .The Rock, '" said oldest daughter Arlene. "And that she was, enabling him to pursue his art, while she kept everything else going in the family."
A Mass was conducted at St. Mary's Church, Ridgefield, on Tuesday, May 15, with burial at St. Mary's Cemetery.
The Kane Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. —Macklin Reid, The Ridgefield Press, May 17, 2007
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