College founder Chet Ross dies at 87

Herman "Chet" Ross, 87, died Tuesday at his home in Somers.

He was a founder of Flathead Valley Community College and was a 34-year member of its board of trustees, serving as its first chairman.

In September, the college board voted to name the science and technology building Ross Hall.

Ross and his former wife, Georgiana, moved to the Flathead in 1950.

A pilot, he was a member of the county airport board and was involved in development of Glacier Park International Airport.

But, he said, in a profile on him in The Daily Inter Lake years ago, FVCC was "the big thing in my life."

The public voted approval of a community college district in 1967. It evolved from a ragtag collection of buildings in Kalispell to its current campus north of town.

In 2001, Ross received the college's Eagle Ward and was named Flathead County's outstanding citizen in 1974 for leadership in civic affairs.

During World War II, he was a member of the fabled Devil's Brigade, a Canadian/American special forces unit that was to parachute into German-occupied Norway on Christmas Eve 1942 and blow up three hydroelectric plants. The mission was instead assigned to British troops, which suffered horrendous casualties.

His unit went on to fight in the Aleutians, in Italy and in the invasion of southern France.

Ross is survived by his former wife, and two daughters, Mary Ross-Goodnough and Carie Ross, all of Kalispell.

Memorial services are pending.