Ross Evans Lishen

On November 11, 2014, Major Ross Evans Lishen, age 101, resigned his earthly commission, left all earthly possessions behind, cast off gravity and returned home. Amen! Amen! Amen!
He was preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Myrna Lishen; by his sister, Marian Murion; and his wife of 39 years, Miriam Stevenson Lishen.
He is survived by two sons, Ross Edward Lishen (Sonja) and Mark Lishen (Donna); two daughters, Myrna Mays and Layne Mitchell; eight grandchildren, Ross Lishen, Jr., Terry Lishen, Sherry Ottaway, Timothy Lishen, Tiffany Pierce, Benjamin Pierce, Ethan Lishen and Carter Lishen; many nieces and nephews; and many, many great grandchildren from Virginia and Long Beach.
Ross Lishen was born on March 19, 1913 in Cloverport, KY and was raised by his Grandmother after his Mother's death in 1918. His faith in God was made manifest during his years as a choir boy in the Louisville Episcopal Cathedral of the Kentucky Diocese. He loved to tell the story about going back to the Cathedral as an adult and being recognized by the choir master who taught him as a young boy.
Having worked during the 1929 Great Depression, Ross joined Headquarters Company, 149th Infantry, 38th Division, Kentucky National Guard in 1931 as a Private. He was commissioned from Staff Sergeant to 2nd Lieutenant and arrived at Camp Shelby, MS in December of 1940. He was inducted into Federal Service prior to Pearl Harbor in December 1941. He graduated Infantry School at Fort Benning, GA and was promoted to 1st Lieutenant in 1941. He was transferred to the 148th Infantry, 37th Division in Ohio and then departed to Indian Town Gap Military Reservation, PA for San Francisco, CA Port of Embarkation in May of 1942.
He arrived in Suva, Fiji in June of 1942 and graduated from Armed Forces Chemical Warfare School, Brisbane, Australia in 1943. He participated in the New Herbides, New Georgia, Guadacanal, Bouganville and Manila, Philippines campaigns. He graduated from the Armed Forces Special Services School at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, VA in 1944 and returned to the South Pacific theater of operations where he fought until his return to the United States in 1945. He was assigned to the Ohio Reserve School in Akron, OH from which he retired at the grade of Major, United States Army, in 1957.
In 1958, Ross and his family moved to Long Beach, MS where he became an active boater, fisherman, carpenter, handyman, inventor and all around family man. He and his wife opened a hair salon on Jeff Davis Avenue and eventually relocated it to his residence for his wife to operate when he pursued other interests as a watchmaker in downtown Gulfport. He later went to work for the Veterans Administration Hospital in Gulfport where he worked for over twenty years until he retired in 1983. He was an active member of the Masonic Lodge since 1945 and took to his grave the secret ""masonic handshake"" that he was asked to share by his family for decades.
He loved the outdoors and could often be seen at the Long Beach Harbor launching his boat ""Mister Ross"" for a several day trip to the islands. His passion was fishing with friends and taking his family on annual vacations to Gatlinburg, TN. Later in life, in his 90's, he became an avid biker, and could often be seen riding his bicycle all over the City and County, wearing out bike after bike over the years, which is a testament to his great health and longevity on this earth. He would brag to anyone that would listen, that he rode thousands of miles on his many bikes.
In 2003, when his health was beginning to decline, he moved from Long Beach to Sanford, FL to be close to his oldest son and his family to start a new chapter in his life. In 2004, they all moved to Lynchburg, VA where he recently celebrated his 100th birthday with numerous family members and friends.
His family wishes to thank the staff at Lynchburg General Hospital, and the Hospice House in Lynchburg for their compassion and dedication during his final days. Visitation for family and friends will be held at St. Patrick's Episcopal Church on Cleveland Avenue in Long Beach on Saturday, November 15, 2014 from 10:00am until 10:45am with a funeral service beginning at 11:00am. Graveside internment will follow in the Long Beach Cemetery.
The RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, Long Beach, is in charge of arrangements, and an online guestbook may be viewed and signed at www.riemannfamily.com