Ross Demeritt

Ross Hyrthol DeMeritt passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends on April 22nd from liver complications. Ross was a loving husband, father, and friend. He shared two and a half decades of love and partnership with his wife Jurate (JJ). Ross loved life to the fullest and his ability to never have a bad day was an inspiration to all those around him, as he quickly made friends with all. Born in Plymouth, Michigan to a family with 3 siblings, he excelled academically and graduated from Michigan State University followed by attaining his MBA at Northwestern University. His career was spent transitioning window factories from aluminum to PVC. He travelled extensively during his career throughout the US, Canada, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe. In retirement Ross taught marketing to students at Piedmont College and advised on new materials implementation in fenestration. Ross was a lifelong follower of Christ and a longtime member of First Presbyterian Church of Cleveland, serving as a deacon and choir member. He was also a member of Mackinaw City Bible Church in Michigan. I n his personal life, Ross was a lover of history, throughout his life stewarding several historic homes, antiques, and vehicles. A lover of nature, Ross helped to implement the nation’s first bottle deposit in Michigan. An avid birder, he could identify an enormous amount of birds by sound or sight, often repeating their call with a whistle. Ross also was an advocate for treatment of White Birch trees in Northern Michigan, under threat from a fungal infection, Ross saved countless birches in the Straits of Mackinac. In Georgia, he successfully stopped Kudzu from damaging large stands of trees in Mt. Yonah Scenic Estates. Ross is survived by his wife Jurate, and his two sons: David and Joel. A memorial service will be held on March 10th at 11am at First Presbyterian Church of Cleveland. An additional celebration of life will be held in Mackinac City, Michigan later this summer. To share a memory or to leave an online condolence for the family, please visit www.barrettfh.com Barrett Funeral Home of Cleveland | (706) 865-3101