Michael Wayne Cross born April 5, 1951 died June 8, 2023 in Green Valley, AZ at
his home after fighting a long battle with congestive heart failure. Born in Oskaloosa, Iowa, to Shirley Ann Knox Cross and William Cross. Mike is survived by his loving wife of 23 years, Judith (Kabat) Gilbert Cross. His first wife, Patricia, and he had three sons Tim (Dayton OH), Nick (Canal Fulton OH), and Mark (Dayton, OH). Mike had two stepsons Jonathan Gilbert (Parkersville KY) and Christopher Gilbert (Robesonia PA). He had 9 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. He is survived by his sister Michelle Parsons (Sabine OH) and preceded in death by Cheryl Cross Seyedin and Patrick Cross.

Growing up on Lake Keomah, Iowa, Mike learned fishing, hunting, boating at a young age and attended a one room K-6 school called Busy Bee School. Later he attended William Chrisman High School in Independence MO where he was a 4-year member of the football team. One remembrance from those days was when
he worked as the bag boy at the local grocery store and would frequently bag groceries for Harry S Truman.

Mike attended Southwest Missouri State University and later graduated from Wright State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business in 1979. He worked for Briggs and Stratton, Jay Engineering Co as manufacturers' Rep, was sales manager for Thermtrol Corp. and retired from Delta Systems Inc as the Strategic Account Manager. He helped design a lighting system for the Goodyear Blimp in
Akron OH and was inducted into the Blimp Club when they took him on a special ride.

Youth sports were an integral part of Mike's life. He not only coached Little League baseball teams but was an umpire. He influenced the lives of many young men who would see him years later and tell him about the lessons he had taught them and stayed with them to this day. Mike was part of a group who turned an unused field into what became the Northwest Youth Baseball fields in Canal Fulton.

Mike's hobbies were Cleveland Indians baseball especially attending spring training games in Goodyear AZ, and he was an avid Ohio State Buckeye fan. He loved to fish and complain about politics never being apologetic for his opinions as a right-wing Republican. He enjoyed woodworking, gambling in Vegas and golfing. He had a great sense of humor and attended many live concerts of comedians and rock groups, too. He was also active in the North Canton Playhouse theater in the early 1990's.

After traveling around the world, it was Mike and Judith's dream to settle in Green Valley, AZ where they lived since 2018.

Mike's wishes are to be cremated and put in an Ohio State Buckeye urn, later to be interred at Riverside Cemetery in Maumee, Ohio with his wife, Judith upon her death. His sons will be having a party to celebrate his life later in Canal Fulton, Ohio.