Ella C. Gross, 99, of Cascade, Iowa, died Saturday, February 4, 2017 at Shady Rest Care Center in Cascade, Iowa, surrounded by her family.

Friends and relatives of Ella may call from 3 to 8 p.m., Monday, February 6, 2017 at the Reiff Funeral Home in Cascade, Iowa, where a wake service will be held at 3 p.m.

Services for Ella will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, February 7, 2017 at St. Martin's Catholic Church in Cascade, Iowa with Archbishop M. Jackels presiding. Burial will be held in Calvary cemetery in Cascade, Iowa.

Ella was born January 17, 1918 in Cascade, Iowa, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Klocker) Kelchen. She received her education in the Farley Public Schools. On November 29, 1945 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Farley, Iowa she was united in marriage to John Gross. He preceded her in death on September 8, 2004.

Ella was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She was active in her own home, gardening, baking bread, quilting until she suffered a stroke on January 23. Ella was a devoted Christian woman, with a strong love of her daily prayers, the rosary and the mass.

She was a member of St. Matthias Parish in Cascade, Iowa and the Shady Rest Auxillary.

She is survived by four children, Carol (Gary) Olson of Minnetonka, MN, Tom Gross, Gary (Barb) Gross and Gail (Bill) Schmidt all of Cascade, Iowa; 7 grandchildren, Jeremy (Patty) Grove, Ben Olson, Matt (Claire)Olson, Jill Belski, Jeff Gross, Lisa (Aaron) Aschtgen and Greg Schmidt; 10 great grandchildren; one sister, Mary Ostwinkle of Placid, IA; one brother-in-law, Frank Gross of Farmington, NM; one sister-in-law, Lucille Kelchen of Farley, IA.

She is also preceded in death by her parents;; ten siblings and their spouses, Colette (Adolph) Feiler, Marcella (Joe) Greenwood, Lucille (Joe) Till, Norine (Joe) Turnis, Delores (Elmer) Weydert, Helen (Raymond) Koppes, Alvina Kelchen, Ray (Rachel) Kelchen, Joseph Kelchen and Edward Kelchen; brothers and sisters-in-law, Bill Ostwinkle, George (Cecelia) Gross, Louis (Margaret) Gross, Leo "Buck (Virginia) Gross, Robert Gross, Wilfred (Veronica) Gross, Ed (Mona) Gross, Albert (Phyllis) Gross, Pete Gross and Kathleen Gross.

Ella C. Gross memorial fund has been established in lieu of flowers.
The family would like to give a special thanks to the staff of 3rd floor at Mercy Hospital, Hospice of Dubuque and Shady Rest Care Center and Fr. Douglas Loecke.