Victor Cross

Victor Johnston Cross, born August 20, 1929 to Myrtle Rinnert Cross & Russel Cross in Dawn Township, Ontario passed away on Monday January 2, 2017.

Vic grew up on the farm with his siblings. He learned about hard work, horses, making maple syrup, skating and fell in love.  Vic went out on his own at age 16 to explore life and worked on many farms across Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia.  Later he sailed the Great Lakes on large cargo ships.  He met his bride, Molly on Christmas Day 1950 at his parents’ home, they danced the evening away. It was love at first sight. They married March 8 1952.  His 2^nd love was horses. They moved to the farm near Blenheim with their 3 daughters in 1965. Vic built a precision racetrack and began training and racing his horses across southern Ontario.  He retired from Crown, Cork and Seal in Chatham. During the first years of retirement he planted many trees on the farm, at one point we thought he was starting a tree farm. Thank-you for the shade and the beauty of the snow blanketing the treetops and branches. His proud crop of 80 plus squash was shared by many and the largest weighed in @ 9 Lbs.  He continued to train and race horses until the age of 80. He was truly a horse whisperer. In retirement he and Molly spent 24 winters in Corpus Christi Texas where they enjoyed beaches, sunshine & many of their winter Texan friends & family.  Always ambitious, determined and easygoing attitude. His motto” if there’s a will there’s a way” kept him moving during his challenge and fight with Parkinson’s disease.

He is survived by his wife Molly of 64 years, his daughters Terry Srokosz of Blenheim, Della & Robert Johnson of Texas and Gwen & Doug Duyck of Merlin, his grandchildren Cody, Colton, Dylan & Brittany, Molly, Robbie, Jill, Reagen, Jessica, Justin and Jackie and by his great-grandchildren Callie, Forrest, Joshua, Jordyn, Toby, Aiden, Addison, Morgan, Corbin, Joel, Jack and Finn. Victor is also survived by his son-in-law Larry Srokosz and his siblings Stella & Dean Webster of Chatham, Pat & George DeMaeyer of Wallaceburg, Sam & Hat Cross of B.C. and Joanne Cross of Chatham. He was predeceased by his siblings Dorothy Cross, Mary & Fred Smith, Lloyd & Irene Cross and Frank & Theresa Cross.Cremation has taken place. Friends and family are invited to the Blenheim Community Funeral Home on Friday where visitation will take place from 6:00-9:00 p.m. A Funeral Service for Victor, conducted by Pastor Eric Skillings will take place in the Funeral Home on Saturday January 7, 2017 at 11:00 a.m.

Friends wishing to remember Victor with a memorial donation are asked to consider either the Parkinsons Society or the Foundation of Chatham-Kent Health Alliance.