Homer Cross

Homer Cross, 91, of Hudson and Deersville, Ohio passed away August 25, 2017.

Homer was born May 29, 1926 in Sines, Maryland, to Arlie and Marie Cross. He grew up in Stow and was a graduate of Stow High School. He attended Kent State University. Homer was an outgoing person who was always willing to help others. He always had a paper route when growing up. During the Great Depression he sold pies his mother baked to Civilian Conservation Corps workers. Homer served in the Marine Corps as Private First Class from April 21, 1944 to May 6, 1946. He was wounded during the Battle for Iwo Jima and is a Purple Heart recipient. After recovering from his wounds, he briefly served in Peking, China (the capital of China was called Peking before it was later named Beijing). He later attended many Marine Corps reunions and was the historian for the Third Marine Division Alumni Association.

After the war, he married Irene Dacko of Hudson. During those years, he raised a family in Hudson and worked at the old Terex plant on Darrow Road. He retired as Maintenance Superintendent from Terex in the 1980's. On November 12, 1970, there was a massive and terrible explosion at the Fuel Gas Corporation in the center of Hudson. Firefighters and other first responders fought hard to minimize the destruction and loss of lives. There was a large propane tank on a railroad car close to the fire. Homer had a role to play that day. He used a large front end loader from Terex to pull the railroad car out of the fire zone. His participation in that event can be seen at minute eight in the following video: