Gaynard Wagner Gross

GROSS, Gaynard, age 98, of Kettering, passed away Friday, May 21, 2021. Gaynard retired from Reynolds & Reynolds as First Senior Vice President and a member of the Board of Directors following a successful business career. During his 35 years with Reynolds & Reynolds he held various positions in all segments of the business including both the printing, administrative and computer services area. With the help of some very special people, he led R&R’s development and marketing of computer systems to all types of automobile dealerships.

He was a veteran of World War II. He was assigned to the 10th Air Force 3rd Combat Cargo Group operating in the CBI theatre flying C-47 aircraft. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters and The Asiatic-Pacific Medal with two Bronze Stars.

Gaynard really liked to play golf and was a charter member of Sycamore Creek Country Club and was a member of the original Board of Directors. As a young man, Gaynard was very active in the Dayton Jaycees. Later on he represented Reynolds & Reynolds on the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of the local Chapter of the American Red Cross. He always said that being a volunteer at Kettering Hospital for a short period of time was one of his most interesting experiences. He was a long time member of Fairmont Presbyterian Church.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Glendora; his sister, Gwendolyn Dixon, and his son-in-law, Lee Lewis. He is survived by his wife, Janet, to whom he was married to for 21 years. The most really important thing to him during his life was his love for Glendora and the love for his wife Janet, and the love for his daughter, Debbie. Family members surviving him are his daughter Deborah Lewis, granddaughters Kelley Ebert, Brittany Lewis, and Beck; great-grandchildren Trent, Casey and Norah Ebert; niece Sandy Forrest; nephew Doug Dixon; niece Kris Wilz (Joe); nephew Steve Purdy and nieces Jennifer and Jovan Hildbold, step-son Tom Gross (Mary) and step-daughter Gayle (Dennis) Treu. Services will be private. Entombment at David’s Cemetery Mausoleum.