Bill Ross

A Celebration of Life for Bill Ross will be held at 10:00 AM, Saturday, April 18, 2026, at Key Field at the Old Key Brothers Terminal with the Reverend Doctor Mark Benson officiating. A private inurnment will be held later at Kewanee Memorial Cemetery. Robert Barham Family Funeral Home is honored to be entrusted with the arrangements.

William James Ross, III, age 86, passed away Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at his home in the presence of his family. Bill was born July 6, 1939 in Meridian, Mississippi to Willie James Ross and Otie C Key Ross. A 1957 graduate of Meridian High School, Bill enjoyed a close relationship with his classmates and met monthly to plan reunions. He attended Auburn University and transferred to the University of Mississippi where he received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1961. While working at Corning Glass in Danville, Kentucky as a project engineer and supervisor, he earned a Master of Science degree in Industrial Technology from Eastern Kentucky University.

Upon returning to Meridian in 1968, Bill pursued a number of business opportunities but soon realized he was best suited to a life of entrepreneurship. Over the years he owned a parts store, a motorcycle dealership, a water wells warehouse, a photo shop, a sporting goods store, a pawn shop, a muffler shop and various real estate ventures. But his greatest passion was anything with a motor. Whether it was on the highway, in the water, or in the air; Bill could build it, work on it and master its operation.

At an early age, he fell in love with flying. Bill’s first flight was with his legendary cousin, Fred Key who, along with his brother Al Key, set the world’s flight endurance record in 1935. From that day on, he was an aviation enthusiast. Bill owned a number of planes during his lifetime, but his favorite was the 1946 Navion that he and his wife bought in 1985. The purchase and ultimate restoration of that airplane created many opportunities to travel to air shows and fly- ins including with the Southern Navion Air Group (SNAG) through which they developed many lasting friendships. But the most important was the annual expedition to Oshkosh, Wisconsin to the Experimental Aircraft Association Convention each summer. Bill served as a Warbird Judge from 1995 until 2022 and was the L-Bird lead in the daily air show. Prior to Oshkosh each year, he participated and instructed in a formation clinic in Keokuk, Iowa for pilots learning the discipline of formation flying. He was especially proud of his granddaughter Mackenzie who earned her private pilot’s license in 2016 and of his son Jim who is following in his footsteps as a Warbird Judge. The greatest accomplishment that a pilot can receive is the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award that Bill was awarded in April of 2019. This recognizes pilots who have achieved 50 years of accident free flying for their dedicated service, professionalism and outstanding contributions to further the cause of aviation safety.

Bill was truly a unique and talented man who enjoyed life to the fullest. He will be deeply missed.

He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Anita Jo Swain Ross; his daughter, Melinda Ross Lestyan and husband Steve; his son, William James Ross, IV (Jim); his grandson, Stephen Ross Lestyan and wife Julia; his granddaughters, Lauren Marie Lestyan, Mackenzie Ross Goldman and husband Alex, Morgan Ross Reed and husband Garrett, Kelli Nelson Street and husband Jeremy; great grandsons, Gavin Allen Moffett and wife Sydney, and Judah William Reed; Nephews, James Edwin Gunn and wife Jennie, and Douglas Jennings Gunn and wife Jackie.

Bill is preceded in death by his parents, Willie James Ross and Otie C Key Ross, his sister, Elizabeth Ross Gunn, his brother, James Edwin Gunn, his nephew, William Ross Gunn, his daughter-in-law, Cynthia Kelley Ross (Cindy), his mother-in-law, Anita Lowe Swain, and his father-in-law, Joe Robert Swain.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a donation be made to a charity of your choice.

Memorial service attendees are encouraged to dress comfortably.

The family would like to express their appreciation to the nurses and therapists of Accent Care and their heartfelt gratitude to Steve McLendon for his devoted daily care for the last fifteen months.