John William Cross

1926 – 2017

West Springfield – John W. Cross, 91, died Saturday morning in a local nursing home surrounded by his loving family.  John was born in Springfield, son of the late Lewis and Viola Cross.  He grew up in the Memorial Avenue section and has lived in West Springfield most of his life.  He worked as a Rural Letter Carrier for 30 years, serving as the Shop Steward for the Western Mass rural letter carriers, before retiring in 1986.  John enlisted in the United States Navy before finishing High School and received his diploma after his discharge from the service in 1948.  A member of the Deadline Gang, he also was a youth coach in Baseball and Basketball, umpired baseball games, enjoyed playing golf and cribbage and was an avid Cleveland Browns and Boston Red Sox Fan.  In 1972, he received the Aime Levesque Award for outstanding volunteer work from the West Springfield Park & Recreation Department.  A lifelong member of the First United Methodist Church, he served many years as a lay minister.    He was a very loving husband, father and grandfather.  He leaves his wife of 66 years June (Kitchen) Cross; three children Jeffrey Cross and his wife MaryLou; Eric Cross and his wife Debra and Sandy Barbieri and her husband Guy.  He also leaves six grandchildren Bryan Cross and his wife Alex, Ashley Hoyt and her husband Kevin, Kacey and Johnny Cross and Jacob and Kyle Barbieri and a great grandson Cole Hoyt.  Besides his parents, he was predeceased by his sisters Cynthia Goodenow and Susan Maiolo and brother Harrison.  The funeral will be held at the West Springfield Curran-Jones Funeral Home Wednesday, February 22, 2017 at Noon followed by burial in the Massachusetts Veteran's Memorial Cemetery.  Visiting hours will be held prior to the funeral home service on Wednesday from 10:30am – Noon.  For online condolences please visit curranjones.com.  In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Exposition Aria Alumni Scholarship Fund, PO Box 124, West Springfield, MA 01090-0124 or to the May Institute, 1111 Elm Street, Suite 7, West Springfield, MA 01089