Mary Ross, leader in N.J. women's bowling
Mary Cowan Ross, 92, of Williamstown, a Hall of Fame member of the New Jersey State Women's Bowling Association since 2006, died Friday, July 26, at Virtua Voorhees.
Mary Cowan Ross, 92, of Williamstown, a Hall of Fame member of the New Jersey State Women's Bowling Association since 2006, died Friday, July 26, at Virtua Voorhees.
Before moving to Salem County in 2012, Mrs. Ross lived for 58 years in Belleville, near Newark, where her accomplishments also earned her a place in the Hall of Fame of the men's organization, the New Jersey State Bowling Association, her daughter Grace Abiuso said.
Mrs. Ross ended her bowling career when she was 88.
"She got macular degeneration," a sight impairment, "when she was about 85, but she still bowled," her daughter said.
After she would bowl a first ball, "her teammates would tell her what pins were still standing," and from memory she knew where to aim the next ball.
"She did pretty darn well," her daughter said.
Mrs. Ross graduated from high school in Kearny and worked for a year before marrying and focusing on her family.
When the last of her five children was born in 1959, Abiuso said, "my father said, 'You need a hobby,' and bought her a pair of bowling shoes."
"At one point, she was bowling four times a week," not only on women's teams but also on mixed teams.
At Olympic Bowl, her home lanes in Belleville, "she ran the women's tournaments from the 1970s until she stopped bowling," Abiuso said.
The Mary Ross Classic League at the Belleville lanes was named for her, consisting at its largest of 32 teams of five players each, Abiuso said.
She organized the Essex County Junior Bowlers, for children ages 10 to 17, in the 1960s and then worked as secretary of the Essex County Women's Bowling Council from the 1970s into the 2000s.
At North Reformed Church in Newark, she was a Sunday school teacher for more than 25 years.
Besides her daughter, Mrs. Ross is survived by sons Craig and Roger; daughters Marion Morrone and Joy Hoover; nine grandchildren; five step-grandchildren; and 24 great-grandchildren. Her husband, George, died in 1986.
A visitation was set from 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 1, at the Biondi Funeral Home, 540 Franklin Ave., Nutley, N.J., with a funeral service there at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 2.
Donations may be made to a charity of the donor's choice.
Condolences may be offered to the family at www.biondifuneralhome.com.
