Frank Gross

Frank George Gross
Frank Gross, wearing service medals ca. 2005
Born	(1919-05-23)May 23, 1919 Chesley, Ontario
Died	(January 13, 2006(2006-01-13) (aged 86) Chatham-Kent, Ontario
Nationality	Canadian
Occupation	Life insurance underwriter
Known for	Philanthropy
Awards	Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship, 2006

Frank George Gross, OMC (May 23, 1919 – January 13, 2006) was a philanthropist awarded the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship (OMC) one month after his death in 2006. He is the only Chatham-Kent resident to be recognized by the Government of Ontario for humanitarianism.

For 50 years, he had been well known in the Chatham-Kent region as a life insurance underwriter, war veteran, freemason, cyclist and humanitarian mainly for the Canadian Cancer Society. Over the last 20 years of his life, he was recognized with nine local, provincial or national awards for humanitarian contributions.

Frank Gross was enlisted in the Canadian Army on August 8, 1942, stationed at CFB Borden, Ontario and Aldershot, England and trained in tank operations. Rising to the rank of Corporal, he served in England during World War II as a tank trainer until his discharge on March 22, 1946. For war service, he was awarded the Defence Medal, the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and the War Medal, all displayed in the adjacent picture. Upon his return to Canada, Frank became a lifelong member of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 28, Chatham.

Over the period of 1946-1956, Frank was a salesman for Fuller Brush Company after which he joined London Life Insurance Company as a life underwriter. He was President of the Kent County Life Underwriters Association in 1963 and was recognized for 21 consecutive years with the National Quality Award from the Canadian Life Insurance Association. Frank retired from London Life in 1983.