Dr. Alan G. Gross

Dr. Alan G. Gross, age 84, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, passed away unexpectedly on October 16, 2020. Alan was born June 2, 1936, in Queens, New York, son of the late Jacob Gross and Celia Jamron Gross. He joined the faculty of the University of Minnesota in 1991, and was an emeritus professor of rhetoric in the Department of Communication Studies, and a founding faculty member of the Rhetoric, Scientific, and Technical Communication doctoral program. Alan began his career in Detroit at Macomb County Community College and Wayne State University. He later served as professor and dean at Purdue University Northwest, where he administered education programs for veterans of the Vietnam War. An internationally recognized scholar, Alan held appointments in Vienna, Cape Town, Jerusalem, and Canberra, Australia. Alan was a prolific author and editor of scholarly and popular articles and books, and an advisor, mentor, and friend to several generations of scholars. In 2014, Alan was named a Distinguished Scholar by the National Communication Association, their highest honor. Alan is survived by his wife, Suzanne; daughters, Jessica (Brent) Griffith of St. Paul, MN, Sarah Gross of Santa Rosa, CA, and Shari (Craig) Baer of Green Bay, WI; sons, Joshua Gross of Monterey, CA, John (Kelli) Semancik of Valparaiso, IN, and Tom (Mary) Semancik of Pinellas Park, FL; grandchildren, Adam and David Griffith of St. Paul, MN, Patrick Baer of Madison, WI, and Rachel (Josh) Kerin; and great-grandson, Jaxon Kerin of Green Bay, WI. A private family gathering will be held October 21 at the Roseville Memorial Chapel, Roseville, MN. In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to Second Harvest Heartland, a local food pantry, or a charity of your choice.

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