Lori Ross, a woman cherished by family, friends, colleagues, students, and parents, lost her short and aggressive battle with breast cancer on Saturday, October 13, 2018.
Lori, a native of New York, moved to Hillsborough, CA when she was in 9th grade with her parents, Bruce and Roberta and her three siblings. She attended Burlingame High School, before she pursued her dream of being a teacher, receiving her BA and Masters in Early Childhood Development at Fresno State University. During her Summers, she worked at Girl Scout Camp as Camp Director, fine-tuning leadership skills and making lifelong friends, including her partner of 38 years Judy (aka: Dee-d) Pick. As an adult, Lori settled in San Jose, CA where she built her family and taught at Los Paseos Elementary School. Lori’s life is best defined by her three passions: motherhood, her role as a teacher, and basketball.
Lori’s greatest joy was being a mother, and recently, a grandmother. Giving birth to daughter, Jacie, co-parenting with Judy, and opening their doors and hearts to foster-daughter, Lyndsey, created many happy family memories and adventures. Their family increased to include twin grandchildren, Ava and Anthony (2), who live with their parents, Lyndsey and AJ in Arizona
For 38 years Lori lived her dream as an outstanding and beloved lead teacher. Morgan Hill Unified School District named her “Teacher of the Year” in 2015, the year she retired. She was admired for her ability to diffuse difficult situations with kind directness and a sense of humor. Her genuine care for all students was evident and impacted countless lives.
Anyone who knew petite Lori has to chuckle over her obsession with basketball. Whether coaching third through sixth graders on the school grounds or following her favorite teams (Stanford Women’s and the WNBA) around the country, everyone knew that the month of March was “sacred time” devoted to her passion.
Lori’s retirement, though too short, was filled with adventures and activities with Judy, her daughters, her teacher colleagues, and her Girl Scout friends. On any day, Lori was playing games, bowling, going to movies, attending book group, traveling, dining, cruising with Judy and friends, cuddling grandbabies, and just making the most of every day. In every gathering, Lori was the heart, the laughter, the storyteller, the organizer, and the magnet for great love and friendship. Lori’s impact on the lives of all she knew was significant, and she will be sorely missed!
Lori is survived by her spouse, Judy Pick; daughters, Jacie Ross and Lyndsey Buchanan (and AJ); grandchildren Ava and Anthony Buchanan; sister Cheryl Ross (and Jaime); and brothers Brett Ross (and Debbie) and Joby Ross (and Annette).
A Memorial Celebration of Life has been scheduled for Friday, November 9 at 7:30PM in the multi-purpose room at Los Paseos Elementary School, 121 Avenida Grande, San Jose 95139. We welcome anyone who knew Lori to attend.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations made to:
The Girl Scouts of Northern CA 1650 Harbor Bay Parkway, Suite 100 Alameda, CA 94502 Please reference “Lori Ross, Hidden Falls” These funds will go toward a new Camp Director cabin named after Lori. Or
Kay Yow Cancer Fund 5121 Kingdom Way, Suite 305 Raleigh, NC 27607 Reference: Lori Ross
