ROSS, Dorothea LaVern, age 70, formerly of Middletown, Ohio, recently of

Bellflower, Missouri passed away early Tuesday morning, January 3rd , 2023.

She was born July 4th, 1952 in Middletown, Ohio to the late Dale and Dorothy

(Whisman) Hughes. She was a U.S. Army veteran who also graduated top of

her class in Nursing School. LaVern became disabled in 1980 after suffering a

paralyzing stroke. This led her to be a full-time homemaker, stay at home

mom and caretaker to many.

Preceding her in death were her husband, Steve Ross; parents; three sisters:

(Pernie Mae Ballard, Sharon Hughes, Linda Ballard); and two brothers:

(William Ballard and Michael Charles Ballard).

She is survived by two daughters: Jolene (Michael) Gilbert of Bellflower,

Missouri and Angel (Darin) Layher of Troy, Missouri; six grandchildren,

(Makayla Johnson, Cheyenne Johnson, Cherokee Johnson, Harold Johnson,

Ashlee (Dillon) Iverson and Emalee Layher); 11 great-grandchildren; one

sister (Hazel Ballard of Kentucky); and two brothers: (Robert (Kathy) Hughes of

Ohio and Floyd Lee Ballard of Tennessee).

As part of her final wishes, LaVern’s ashes will be placed at her final resting

place at Woodside Cemetery in Middletown, Ohio in the coming spring. We

are honored to share she was an organ donor, and her final act was to share

that gift to other families.

Memorial contributions may be made to Journey Church in Troy, MO as she

was always looking for ways to support their ministry.