Obituary of Robert Chalmers Cross
Robert Chalmers Cross, born March 16, 1938 in Ottawa, Ontario, passed away on August 5, 2024, in Renfrew, Ontario at Hospice Renfrew.
Bob was the beloved husband of Leslie (Smith) Cross for 55 years. Together, they shared countless adventures and raised their family; his final words included how much he loved her. The eldest son of the late Carson and Caroline Cross (Reed), Bob leaves behind his sister Carol (Lamont) and brother Jon (Jean), and his many nieces and nephews.
He is survived by his four children: Sarah Cross (Norman Acquroff), Allison Cross-Lacourt (Antoine), Meghan Cross (Edmond), and Graeme Cross (Tanya). He leaves his 13 grandchildren behind to mourn: Gavin, Caitlin, Amélie, Joshua, Raphael, William, Jacob, Molly, Grace, Alyssa, Chelsey, Drake and Carson. Bob was predeceased by his first wife, Suzanne (McCarthy) and their daughter Adrienne.
A distinguished graduate of the Collège militaire royal du Canada (CMR) in Saint-Jean, QC, and the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) in Kingston, Bob earned his BSc (Hons) in 1961. He began his service with the 1e Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment (1 R22eR), also known as the Van Doos. That same year, he captained the ski team, clinching multiple individual medals and leading his team to victories, including the Canadian Army Ski Championships in Valcartier, QC, in 1962 and the Giant Slalom Downhill at the British Army Championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland, in January 1963.
Promoted to Captain, Bob was deployed to Cyprus in the fall of 1964 as part of Canada’s first UN Peacekeeping mission. He made history as the first UN Peacekeeper to set foot on foreign soil and subsequently earned the United Nations Medal. Following his return, Bob was honorably released from the Canadian Armed Forces.
Bob’s professional life as a businessman was marked by a remarkable entrepreneurial spirit. His diverse interests included a deep love for skiing, genealogy and houseboating. He had a lifelong passion for learning and could often be found in his armchair reading anything from a computer software manual to the latest best seller – often with Leonard Cohen playing in the background. He was rarely seen without a cherished dog by his side.
In respect of Bob’s wishes, there will be no service or visitation.In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice Renfrew or a charity of your choice. https://www.hospicerenfrew.ca/
