FARMINGTON – Robert James Ross, 87, passed away on October 14, 2020, at Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington. “Bulldozer Bob” as he was known to many, was born in Rangeley, on December 25, 1932, to James G. and Margaret A. (Ryder) Ross. His early days were spent in Rangeley; the family moved to Lynn, Massachusetts so his father could work at GE during World War II.

Bob summered in Maine, working with his grandfather in Rangeley on the golf course.

(The reason he hated woodchucks)

The family moved back to Phillips when Bob was a sophomore and he graduated from Phillips High School in 1950. Shortly after graduation, he joined the U.S. Army during the Korean War and spent two years in France and Germany, proudly serving in the military police. He married Joanne Leavitt in 1952; children were Valerie Ann, Stephen Robert, Vicki Anita, and Fred Carroll. They lived in Phillips for several years before moving to Farmington.

Bob worked for the Telephone Company with Richard Beal; later he worked for K & H Foster driving a cement truck. Eventually, he caught the construction bug and operated a bulldozer where he found his niche. Between construction jobs, he drove school bus for RSU9, working for Ron Bailey. He returned to construction and pushed gravel on about every road building project in Western Maine. He worked for Callahan, Jordan Lumber, E. L. Vining, Horne, and M & H out of Rangeley. His bragging points were that he worked on the expansion of I-95 in southern Maine; he moved thousands of yards of gravel building the golf course at Sugarloaf, and worked his last job for M & H on the rebuild of Route 4 heading toward Rangeley. He retired after that job, just a few weeks before he turned 80. Bob rid Franklin County of woodchucks, shooting over 600 on Bussy York’s fields. He also took out a lot of crows and rid the Fairgrounds of hundreds of pigeons in the grandstands. And he was a crack shot, taking out coydogs at 300 yds. Into his ’80s, he continued to maintain his “eye”, probably because he didn’t want to waste his ammo. In the construction off-season, he enjoyed many hours of playing cribbage at the American Legion, being a member of Roderick Crosby Post #28. Later on, Bob could be seen at Walmart every morning buying his daily banana and sitting on the bench to chat with anyone he knew. He was a Red Sox and Patriots fan. He continued his interest in golf right to the end.

He is survived by son, Stephen Ross and wife Laura; daughter, Vicki Elwell and husband David; son, Fred Ross; sister, Nancy Porter; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; a niece and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, former wife, Joanne, daughter Valerie, consort, Beverly Oliver and all the trout in the Sandy River he never caught.

Graveside services will be held in 2021 at the Evergreen Cemetery in Phillips. Arrangements are under the care and direction of Dan & Scott’s Cremation & Funeral Service, 488 Farmington Falls Road, Farmington, Maine 04938.

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