John J. Ross made his way into the UF College of Medicine when J. Wayne Reitz referred to a man, not the student union.
He became a cherished figure in UF’s departments of pediatrics and neurology, where he was for 47 years.
Ross died July 17 at North Florida Regional Medical Center after he had a massive heart attack while playing tennis July 14. He was 83.
Ross, who grew up in Jacksonville, claimed state titles in a low hurdles track event and tennis at Robert E. Lee High School. He went to Duke University as an undergraduate and was captain of the tennis team there. Ross once played tennis with Arthur Ashe, who won three Grand Slam titles.
He continued on to Harvard Medical School for his M.D. He met his wife of 52 years, Nancy Hays Ross, while completing residency at Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital.
Ross could spend hours with patients, said Paul Carney, a colleague in the UF department of pediatrics.
“They don’t make ‘em like him anymore,” he said.
Ross was director and co-founder of the Multidisciplinary Diagnostic and Training Program at UF, which is part of a statewide diagnostic and instructional program for children with disabilities.
Ross’ son, John Ross II, and Carney said the program would be the accomplishment Ross is most proud of, besides his children.
John Ross II, 43, remembers his father teaching him to play tennis and later leaving work to stand on the sidelines after practices and matches.
“In everything he did, my father always wanted to make a difference,” he said. “And that’s what he did.”
Ross was active until he died with the Holy Faith Catholic Church, Alachua County Medical Society, Gator Tennis Boosters, DB Racquet Club and Founders Society of the Florida Museum of Natural History.
He had 31 appointments at teaching centers including UF, Harvard and the Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Boston. He also ran for the Florida House of Representatives in 2002.
He is survived by his wife, Nancy; three children; a brother, a sister and nine grandchildren.
John J. Ross, a doctor in UF's pediatrics department, died July 17 after suffering a heart attack while playing tennis this month. He was 83.
