JACKSON CENTER — A large crowd local residents and others from several surrounding counties assembled at Wally Byum Memorial Park in Jackson Center Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, to hold a “Rededication Ceremony Remembering Gary W. Gross.”
Gross, a Jackson Center resident and highly decorated war hero, was KIA (Killed in Action) in Vietnam on Dec. 16, 1968, while serving in the U.S. Army. Approximately 100 people gathered to pay their respects, and listen to stories honoring Gary W. Gross as told by his friends, family, and several local authorities including classmate Fritz Serr, Jim Knoch, Gross’ uncle, Stephen Luzader, pastor of the United Methodist Church, Bruce Metz, Jackson Center village administrator, and Police Chief Chuck Wirick.
Gross was well loved by family, friends, classmates, and his local community. They all worked together to rejuvenate his memorial replacing a small bronze plaque with a large granite memorial stone with Gross’ photos and a story about his service record, a stone memorial bench, all set in a newly reconstructed memorial garden at the park on Jackson Center’s east side.