Valta Ross

Valta A. Ross, age 92, of Aurora, passed away Thursday, May 25, 2023, at Memorial Community Care.
Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, June 1 at the United Methodist Church, 1104 A Street, Aurora. Rev. Bob Gannon will officiate. Interment will be in Aurora Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday at Higby-McQuiston Mortuary.  Livestream of the service will be on the church website www.umcaurora.org.  Memorials may be made to the Hamilton Community Foundation Scholarship Fund in Valta & Cindy Ross’ name.  Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through the mortuary website at www.higbymortuary.com.
Valta Ardean Ross, the son of Samuel E. and Blanche M. (Kissel) Ross, was born in Sutton, on July 31, 1930 and passed away in Aurora, on May 25, 2023, at the age of 92.
Valta grew up in Stockham, and attended Stockham Public Schools until his junior year, when his family moved to Aurora.   He graduated from Aurora High School in 1947, and lived in Aurora for the remainder of his life.  
Valta married Sharon D. Ramey on October 19, 1958 in Aurora.   To this union were born three children, Valerie, Kelly and Ryan, Kelly preceding his father in death on October 13, 1968 at the age of six.
Valta then married Lucinda “Cindy” (Eich) Jensen on October 7, 1983 in Aurora.   With this union Valta’s family grew to include Kipton, Kealei and Dick Jensen.   Cindy passed away on June 30, 2011.
Valta served as a Corporal in the U.S. Army, 6 th Helicopter Company, 150th Helicopter Field Maintenance Department.  He trained with Sikorsky Helicopter Company on Chickasaw helicopters, and then was sent overseas as a crew chief and master helicopter mechanic during the Korean War, the first army helicopter company ever sent into a combat zone.  
Valta was the Veterans Service Officer for Hamilton County, Nebraska, servicing veteran’s needs for 30 years; a Post Commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #4993 and a member of American Legion Post #42. 
He operated many businesses in Aurora over a span of five decades.   He was a co-owner of S.E. Ross & Sons, an Allis-Chalmers dealership, with his father, Samuel Ross, and brother, Doyle.   He then opened Ross Equipment & Cycle Company, selling Indian and Ducati motorcycles.   Valta was also owner of Ross Insurance & Realty, selling insurance for MFA, which later became Shelter Insurance, for the remainder of his career.   After retirement, Valta worked part-time as a realtor and most recently worked at Poco Creek Golf Course clubhouse until 2020.   He fully retired at the age of 90.
Valta played baritone in the Hamilton County Band from 1945-2023 (78 years), a band started by his father, Samuel Ross.   He served his community as an Aurora City Council member from 1966–1968, and was a past President of the Aurora Chamber of Commerce.
In his youth, Valta raced with the White Spot Motorcycle Club circuit, and was a member of the American Motorcyclist Association.
His hobbies included music, fishing at his cabin, golfing with the Senior’s League, restoring antique cars and motorcycles, gardening, watching Cubs and Braves baseball, travelling, wine making, and was an amateur radio operator.   You would often see him around town giving his puppies (Spike, Abby, Sadie and Molly) daily rides in the car, or telling one of his many stories or jokes.
Valta led an exemplary life, quietly leaving a lasting impression of love, kindness, loyalty, honor, hard work, humor, faith and family, not only for his children but for all who had the privilege of knowing him.  
Valta was a member of the Faith Community Church in Aurora.
He was preceded in death by his parents and wife, Cindy; son, Kelly Jay Ross; and sisters, Beverly (Ross) Blue and Deanna (Ross) Cooley.
Those left to cherish his memory are his children, Valerie (Ross) Bollard of Redmond, OR; Ryan (Sheri) Ross of Sioux City, IA; Kip (Marion) Jensen of Decatur, GA; Kealei (Jim) Castle of Douglasville, GA and Dick (Penny) Jensen of Dallas, GA; one brother, Doyle Ross of Apache Junction, AZ; 14 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.