Rev. Lawrence Charles Gross, 81, a resident of St. Anne Retirement Community, died Tuesday, March 24, 2009 in Lancaster after an illness of several months.

Born July 3, 1927 in Lancaster, he was the son of the late Lawrence William and Mary Elizabeth (Daum) Gross.  Fr. Gross attended Sacred Heart Parochial School, Lancaster Catholic High School, St. Charles College in Catonsville, MD, and St. Charles Seminary in Overbrook, Philadelphia, where he received his Bachelor or Arts Degree in 1950.

Fr. Gross was ordained a Catholic Priest on May 30, 1953 by the Most Reverend George L. Leech at St. Patrick's Cathedral.  His assignments as a priest were: Associate Pastor, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Mt. Carmel, June 1953; Associate Pastor, Assumption B.V.M., Lebanon, Nov. 1953; Associate Pastor, St. Margaret Mary, Penbrook, May 1957; Associate Pastor, Seven Sorrows B.V.M., Middletown, Dec. 1959; Associate Pastor, Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, Harrisburg, June 1962 ; Founding Pastor, St. Gregory the Great and Rector, Villa Vianney, Lebanon, May 1965; Pastor, St. Joseph, Lancaster, Jan. 1971; Administrator, St. John the Baptist, Mount Carmel, June 1986; Senior Priest and Associate Pastor, St. Joseph, Shamokin, Aug. 1987; Corpus Christi Church, Chambersburg; June 1994; Senior Priest, St. Joseph Church, Danville, June 1995; Chaplain, Geisinger Medical Center and In Residence, St. Joseph, Danville, June 1999 to June 2002.  After his retirement, he resided at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church, Lancaster, and most recently resided at St. Anne Retirement Community, Columbia.

Fr. Lawrence Gross has had a long career in Boy and Girl Scouting starting in 1939.  He earned many awards in his scouting career: the Girl Scouts Thanks badge, the Boy Scouts Silver Beaver award, the St. George emblem, and the St. Anne emblem.  He was also a member of the Order of the Arrow, and a member of the Throwing Bull tribe.  He was also a board member of the Lancaster-Lebanon Boy Scouts of America council.  Fr. Gross was always proud to show off his Boy and Girl Scout pins, no matter where he was.  Fr. Gross also served as Associate Diocesan Director, Catholic Youth for Girl Scouts; Associate Moderator of Lebanon Deanery Council of Catholic Women; Chaplain, Boy & Girl Scouts, Lancaster Area, and Moderator, Diocesan Holy Name Society for 9 years.  He was a fourth degree Knight of Columbus, a member of Lancaster Liederkranz, a chaplain to the Civil Air Patrol, active in the Cursillo Movement in the Diocese of Harrisburg, and was an active member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla #14.

Fr. Gross' hobbies and skills included bird watching, photography, water skiing, hunting, fishing, and rifle marksmanship.

Fr. Gross is survived by his brother, Henry L. Gross, of British Columbia, Canada.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Tuesday, March 31, 2009 at 11:00 AM at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 440 St. Joseph St., Lancaster, PA 17602 with the Most Reverend Kevin C. Rhoades, Bishop of Harrisburg, as Celebrant.  A viewing will be held at the church Monday evening from 5 until 7 pm with the Mass of Transferral at 7 PM.  A second viewing will be held on Tuesday morning from 9 until 11 AM at the church.  Interment will be in St. Joseph New Catholic Cemetery, Bausman, PA.  Memorial contributions in Father Gross' memory may be made to St. Joseph Catholic Church.  Arrangements by Charles F. Snyder Funeral Home, Inc., Lancaster, PA.  To send an online condolence, please visit www.snyderfuneralhome.com.