Obituary of Douglas Ross

Douglas Ross, 86, passed away July 27, 2023, in his Minneapolis home after a battle with cancer. He was a devoted husband, father, professor and an accomplished artist who touched many lives, was much beloved, and will be greatly missed.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Anita Ross (Murphy); his parents, John Lee and Edith Maxine Ross (Parker); and his granddaughter, Megan Henneberg. He is survived by his children, Jennifer Ross, Charles Ross, Michael (Margaret) Harms, Nicolas (Marie) Harms and Mark Harms; grandchildren, Patrick Harms (Sarah), Chelli (David) Look, Lindsey (Nathan) Doyle, Ali (Colin) Weidmann, Ryan Harms, Drew Harms and Kathryn Ross; and eight great-grandchildren.

He was born Jan. 23, 1937, in Hollywood, CA, and graduated from Omaha Central High School in Omaha, NE, in 1955. He married Suzanne Olson in 1960 and divorced in 1973. He married Anita Ross in 1976.

He received a bachelor's degree from Carleton College, Northfield, MN, in 1959; attended the Minneapolis College of Art and Design from 1959 to 1963 and received a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Minnesota in 1965.

He started his career at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1966 as an instructor of drawing and sculpture. He became a tenured professor there in 1979. In 1969 and 1970, through an exchange program, he taught at the Manchester College of Art and Design, Manchester, England. During his career at UNL, he led an annual fine arts study tour for students to London and Paris.

His award-winning sculptures and paintings were exhibited in galleries around the country including Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN; Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery, Lincoln, NE; Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha, NE; The Pillsbury Center, Minneapolis, MN; Purdue University-Calumet, Hammond, IN; and Hartwick College, Oneonta, NY.

He retired from UNL in 1998 and moved to Minnesota, but remained a teacher his whole life, continuing to give lectures and talks. After retiring, his emphasis switched from sculpture to painting and he became known for his expressionist landscapes including a series of 50 waterfalls, one from each state; a Mississippi River series; an Oregon Trail series; and a Lake Superior shoreline series. He also created collages and block prints. He often traveled to Europe and loved to drive the back roads of the USA and Canada. He continued to produce art in his Northeast Minneapolis studio until the end of his life.

Visitation Friday, Aug. 11, 1-2 PM at First Memorial Funeral Chapel, 7110 France Ave., Edina, MN 55435, with memorial service to follow at 2 PM. First Memorial Funeral Chapel 952-924-4100.