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GROSS -- Dr. William Allen Gross, age 86 and former University of New Mexico Dean of Engineering and Professor of Mechanical Engineering, died on Sunday February 20, 2011. He displayed a rare mixture of innovation, risk taking, technical creativity, and commitment to making a difference in others' lives. As Dean (1974-80) he established innovative programs (that have evolved into national organizations) to increase the number of Native American, Hispanic and women engineers in the College and secured support to expand and enhance the Colleges curricula and research. As Professor (1982-1999) he created the Entrepreneurial Engineering Class which enabled many engineering students and working engineers to fulfill their entrepreneurial dreams. He was born in Los Angeles, CA to William Allen and Margaret (Hill) Gross. In 1945 he graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy for a career of saving lives and served for three years as an officer in the Pacific. Always a risk taker, he stepped into the unknown for a PhD in Applied Mechanics at University of California Berkeley (1951), refused to sign the UCB loyalty oath (1950) and resigned from the Iowa State University faculty (1955) to get industrial experience. From 1955-1972 he was researcher at Bell Telephone Labs, researcher and Manager at IBM San Jose and Vice President at Ampex Redwood City, CA. At IBM he was one of the key leaders in early breakthroughs that made computer disk memories feasible, and at Ampex he led research to make VCRs a household item. Since the late 1960s Dr. Gross keen concern for energy sustainability led him to develop international programs for supporting renewable energy in developing countries, revitalize the New Mexico Solar Energy Association in the 1980s, and serve on the Albuquerque Energy Conservation Council and many other nonprofit boards. A member of the Albuquerque Friends Meeting (Quakers), he was active in Quaker concerns. Dr. Gross many awards include member of National Academy of Engineering, Distinguished Alumnus College of Engineering University of California Berkeley and US Coast Guard Academy, New Mexico Society of Professional Engineers Engineer of the Year, Chief Manuelito Award of the Navajo Tribe, Fellow ASME, IEEE, ASEE, and AAAS, Paul Bartlett Re Peace Prize and New Mexico Solar Energy Association Lifetime Achievement Award. He is survived by his wife of forty years, Sharon P. Gross; children Constance Jackson of Castro Valley CA, Ellen Philo of Pleasanton CA, Mark Gross of Boise ID and David Gross of Roseburg OR; thirteen grandchildren; and great-grandchildren. His first wife Shirley died in 1968 leaving him a widower with four teenage children. He delighted in hiking, international discovery, skiing and was a loving husband, father and grandfather. A memorial service will be held under the care of the Albuquerque Friends Meeting on Sunday April 3, 2011 at 2:00 PM at Monte Vista Christian Church, 3501 Campus Dr NE (West of Carlisle, turn on Berkeley NE for parking), Albuquerque. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to 1) the UNM Foundation/William A. Gross Fund for Entrepreneurial Engineering (checks mailed to the University of New Mexico School of Engineering Development Office c/o Susan Georgia-Centennial Engineering Center, MSCO1 1140, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM 87131-0001), 2) NMSEA for the William A. Gross Solar Energy Education Fund (checks mailed to New Mexico Solar Energy Association, 1009 Bradbury Dr. SE #35 Albuquerque, NM 87106), or 3) charity of your choice. Memories may be shared by going to: www.RememberTheirStory.com and clicking on the Obituaries tab. FRENCH 1111 University Blvd. NE (505) 843-6333
        Published on: Sat March 05, 2011