Dr. Herman "Chet" Ross, 87

Longtime Kalispell veterinarian, Dr. Herman "Chet" Ross, 87, passed away on Sunday, Jan. 2, 2005, at his home in Somers. He was born on Sept. 15, 1918, in Naugatuk, Conn., to Samuel and Gussie (Eisen) Rosenstein. He was the younger of two boys.

After high school, he enrolled at the University of Alaska from 1936-1939, studying geology. In his final year, he enlisted in the service. He became a member of the fabled Devil's Brigade, a Canadian/American Special Forces Unit. In Helena they trained for a daring mission. They were to parachute into German-occupied Norway on Christmas Eve 1942 and blow up three hydroelectric plants. In the long run, the mission was assigned to British troops, which suffered horrendous casualties. He was Company Commander, First Lieutenant (Airborne Infantry) and his unit went on to fight in the Aleutians, in Italy and in the invasion of southern France. Chet was injured in the Italian mountains and his leg became infected, resulting in him spending 10 months in the hospital.

This past summer he returned to Italy for the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Rome on June 4. They were honored by the Italian government and the pope, and were celebrated for never failing any mission and for being instrumental in freeing Rome.

After the war, Chet went back to Alaska to finish his education in mining engineering but eventually decided to go into veterinary medicine. He earned his doctor of veterinary medicine degree in 1950, graduating from Colorado State University.

Chet and his former wife Georgiana Powers met and were married in 1947 at Fort Collins, Colo. After his graduation, they moved to the Flathead Valley in 1950 and started one of the first veterinary clinics. He specialized in large and small animal care. Being such a remote area at the time and with limited veterinarians, his territory took him from the Montana/Idaho border to the Canadian border, Glacier Park and south to Polson. Chet and his very good friend Dr. Phinney helped control the wild horse population on Wild Horse Island.

Chet and Georgiana soon adopted two girls who were the love and joy of their daddy's heart. They could not wait to get home from school and hang around the animal clinic or go on large animal calls with their father.

Kalispell Animal Hospital was operated as a single practice until he took in a partner, Dr. William Noble, for eight years back in the 1960s. Chet was also president of the Montana Veterinary Medical Association from 1964-1965.

It was in those years that Chet became active in what he saw as two basic community needs: transportation and education. He became a member of the Flathead County Airport Authority in 1969, and served in that capacity for 12 years, and was a member of the Kalispell Airport board for seven years. In 1967, he became founder of Flathead Valley Community College and was chairman of the board from 1967 until 1972. He remained an active board member for 34 years. He related to FVCC as "the big thing in my life."

The governor of the state of Montana formally recognized Chet's leadership qualities and commitment to education in 1971 and appointed him as a member of WICHE -- Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. During his eight-year membership on the board, he was instrumental in developing a system of educational opportunity for students in the field of veterinary medicine. This program of educational opportunity was implemented and has been extremely successful in serving the residents of the 13-state WICHE region.

In 1974, Chet was recognized by the citizens of Flathead County for his leadership in civic affairs by naming him Flathead County's Outstanding Citizen. It was also in that year that he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Colorado State University.

In 1996, FVCC awarded him the ACCT (Association of Community College Trustees) Regional Trustee Leadership Award. Dr. Larry Blake, the first founding president and Chet were instrumental in beginning the association in the state of Montana and it held annual meetings for the purpose of organizing prior to the state legislative sessions. Under Dr. Blake's leadership and with Chet as chairman, FVCC was presented an award as the second most outstanding rural college in the nation by the U.S. Department of Education.

Chet was then awarded the prestigious Eagle Award at the President's Annual Donor Dinner on May 10, 2001, from FVCC. The award is given annually to honor an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the development of the college.

In September 2004, the college board voted to name the Science and Technology Building as Ross Hall in his honor.

After 53 years of veterinary practice, he officially retired and closed the doors to the animal clinic. However, he continued to keep his veterinary license up to date and it was not unlike him to continue to provide some services to his daughters' animals, as well as those of his friends and neighbors.

His memberships include the American Veterinary Medical Association; Montana Veterinary Medical Association; Flying Veterinarians; advisory board for the National Jogging Association; American Community College Trustees; and advisory board of the School of Veterinary Medicine (University of California, Colorado State University and Washington State University).

His passions besides the college were flying (he owned two airplanes) and golfing with his very close buddies, and he had also taken up oil painting. He especially enjoyed the summer months when his family would come down to the lake and cook him up a special barbecued burger.

He will always be remembered for his ambitions, his great leadership, accomplishments and contributions to the betterment of the Flathead Valley. But most of all, he was a great husband, friend and the best father his two daughters could have had. It will leave a very big void in all of our lives.

Chet was preceded in death by his parents.

He is survived by his brother, Dr. Sid Ross, and his wife in New York; his daughters, Carie Ross and Mary Ross-Goodnough and her husband, Norm, of Kalispell; and two beautiful granddaughters he thought he'd never have, Jill Goodnough and Katie Goodnough, both of Kalispell; and also his former wife, Georgiana Ross, of the family home in Kalispell.

Memorial Services for Chet Ross will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 14, at St. Matthew's Catholic Church with the Rev. Matthew Huber (Chet's nephew) officiating. A reception will follow at the Elks Lodge in Kalispell. There will be no visitation. Military honors will be conducted by the United Veterans of the Flathead.

The family suggests that any memorials be made in Chet's honor to the Science and Technology Building (the future Ross Hall) at FVCC, 777 Grandview Drive, Kalispell, MT 59901.

Arrangements are under the direction of Johnson Mortuary and Crematory.