Lawrence "Larry" Gross

Lawrence (Larry) Gross, 78, of New Kensington, peacefully passed away on Tuesday, June 21, 2022, after a battle with heart disease. Born in Elgin, Illinois, he grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio and moved to New Kensington where he lived for the past 52 years. As an All-Conference athlete at Cleveland Heights High School, Larry received a baseball scholarship to Mount Union College, where he received his bachelor's degree in education and was part of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity. After graduation, he moved to New Kensington with his first wife, Jane Ann (Erich) (Pat) Kane who was originally from New Kensington, and then two daughters, Lori and Kristi. While working full time, he continued his education by receiving his Master's degree from Slippery Rock University and had another girl, Stacy. Larry was a beloved friend, teacher, football coach, baseball coach, golf coach, athletic director and mentor at Valley High School for over 30 years before he retired in 2000. He remarried in 1984 to Marilyn (Pisano) Campitella who had two children, Maria and Randy, from a previous marriage. He remained a devoted husband to Marilyn for 34 years until her death in 2018.

Survivors include his daughter, Lori Gross, of Maryland; his daughter, Kristi (Gross) Merriwether and her wife, Erica, (originally from New Kensington) of Georgia, and Kristi's child, Akiea (Kiki) Gross, of New York; his daughter, Stacy (Gross) Benedict, her husband, Todd, and their two daughters, Sienna and Tegan, of Florida; Marilyn's daughter, Maria Johnson, her husband, Tom, her sons from her previous marriage with Tom (Karen) Wyant of New Kensington, Tommy Wyant and his wife, Erika, of Georgia, and Danny Wyant, of New Kensington, and Tom Johnson's sons, Tom, Jr. (Miranda), and their daughter, Gabriella, Matt (Amy) and their daughter, Charlotte, Tim (Casey), Bill (Kate); and Marilyn's son, Randy Campitella. He was preceded in death by his brother, Terry Gross (2017), of California, and mother and father, Lois (1996) and Ted (1998) Gross of Ohio.

Family and friends are welcome from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 9, followed by a celebration of life at 3 p.m. at R.J. SLATER IV FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATION SERVICE, 1000 Freeport Road, New Kensington, PA 15068, 724-335-0100. Online condolences can be left for the family at www.rjslater.com.