Julie Ross age 86, a former Salida resident, passed away on March 14, 2025 at her home. She was born in Weston, Missouri the eldest of four children. It was there that she met and married her husband of 60 years, Tom Ross. Their adventures took them many places, all the while adding to their growing family. After enjoying a visit to Salida, they decided to move there in 1974 and remained until the 90s when they moved to Oregon. Julie began cooking at an early age, and held various jobs throughout the years as a cook. When they moved to Salida, she was hired at the Spa Restaurant on Highway 50. Her pies were legendary and they proudly displayed them in the pie case for people to see as they walked into the restaurant (her meringueson the cream pies were beautiful)! She later became the manager of the Safeway bakery in Salida where she continued to provide residents with tasty treat. The call of the ocean lured Tom and Julie to the West Coast and not long after moving there, they bought a Papa Murphy’s Take N Bake Pizza franchise in Newport, OR. Later, they opened the restaurant next door and named it “Four Sons & A Daughter” in reference to their children.
They loved to take their motor home and camp near the beaches in California and Oregon. Tom and Julie loved country music and loved to dance whether at a Honky Tonk, the Elks Sweetheart Ball or the Eagles in Oregon. Julie also loved to cook and her family always looked forward to family meals when she would make her homemade biscuits and gravy, homemade noodles or her delicious dumplings-She also made a mean chicken fried steak! She was always on the hunt for a new cookie recipe, especially if it called of lots of nuts! After selling the restaurants, they moved back to Colorado in 2005 to be near their family and bought a home in Ellicott. They continued to go for long rides on Sundays and to take the motor home out to camp and fish. Julie loved her family and always loved it most when she had a houseful of family and friends! Julie was preceded in death by her husband, Tommy (2015), her daughter Lisa, Leanna and Kelly her sons Thomas and Gary and sisters Sadie and Marilyn. She is survived by her brother Benny (Paulette) of Weston, MO, sister-in-law Mary Alice of Goodyear, AZ, daughter-in-law Charleen of Tomball, TX, sons Mike (Ronda) of Fountain, Steve (Jerri) of Arvada, daughter Lori of Ellicott, 10 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, nephews Terry, Danny, Nelson and Tony. Viewing will be from 12-1 PM Friday March 21, 2025 at Lewis and Glenn Funeral Home with funeral services to follow at 2:00 PM at the funeral home. Interment will follow at Fairview Cemetery. On line condolences may be sent to the family at lewisandglenn.com. Arrangements are with Lewis and Glenn Funeral Home.
