Steven Thomas Ross
Steven Thomas Ross, 79, of Portola Valley, Calif., passed away peacefully on March 8, 2022.
Steve was born in San Francisco on July 13, 1942 to Dorothy and David Ross and grew up on the San Francisco Peninsula. After graduating from Menlo-Atherton High School, he attended Purdue University and earned a BS in Electrical Engineering. After completing four years of ROTC, Steve was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army and provided logistical support to the 82nd Airborne Division with US Forces, in the Dominican Republic.
Upon completing his military service, Steve enrolled in Tulane University’s MBA program. In his senior year, he married Karen Strandhagen, his college sweetheart. After graduating, Steve and Karen returned to the San Francisco Peninsula and resided for forty years on Christmas Tree Lane in Palo Alto, where they raised their children, Peter and Meredith (Duffy).
Steve’s first job was selling semiconductors for Signetics. In 1970, he joined Ross Marketing Associates, a manufacturers’ representative founded by his father in 1947, where he spent the next 31 years selling electronics and managing the business.
Steve’s professional accomplishments include chairing the Electronic Distribution Show; President of the WESCON show; Director of the Manufacturers’ Representative Educational Research Foundation; and Senior Vice President of the Electronics Representatives Association. Additionally, he earned a Certified Professional Manufacturers Representative (CPMR) designation from Indiana University; received White Pin and Life Membership awards from the Electronic Representative Association; and was a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic and Engineers.
Taking early retirement in 2001 and following Karen’s lead, Steve became an active community volunteer. He served as a court-appointed special advocate where he mentored four teenagers. He has also volunteered at the Downtown Food Closet in Palo Alto, served as a classroom assistant and conversation tutor in the Palo Alto Adult School ESL program, mentored young readers at five local elementary schools, s volunteered in a citizenship class, served as a director of the Mid-Peninsula YMCA, and taught English conversation classes at the Menlo Park and Palo Alto libraries.
Steve’s personal interests included ham radio (W6HKX), California and military history, Stanford athletics, golf, travel, classic cars, gardening, koi keeping, classical music and poster art. He was proud of his longtime affiliations with the Palo Alto Club and the Palo Alto University Rotary Club. As a Rotarian, Steve proudly served as club president and deputy district governor. Moreover, he was happy to have donated blood more than 100 times.
In 2017, Steve and Karen moved to The Sequoias, a retirement community in Portola Valley. While there, they enjoyed hiking Windy Hill, feeding nearby horses, playing croquet, and socializing with friends and neighbors.
Steve wants to be remembered for being generous and making people laugh. He is survived by his wife, Karen Ross; his son and daughter, Peter Ross and Meredith (Duffy) Ross; his sons-in-law, Greg Watts and Carlos Babij; and her grandchildren, Maya Babij-Ross and Camila Babij-Ross.
Benefits are pending. In lieu of flowers, donations to Child Advocates of Silicon Valley or Mission Hospice would be appreciated.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on March 12, 2022.