Obituary of Joyce Ann Gross

Joyce Ann Rhoads Gross, 89, of Carlinville, IL passed away Saturday, February 7, 2026 at Jacksonville Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, IL. She was born September 18, 1936 in Polk Township above Macoupin Station at her grandparents four room home. She was raised by her grandmother's sister, Hannah E. Davis Rhoads and Herbert E. Rhoads of Plainview, IL. Later in childhood, she was joined by another girl whom they took in to raise by the name of Marie. The two girls shared a wonderful and close childhood together. Joyce married George A. Gibson and together they had a daughter, Marsha. They later divorced and she married Dwight Gross. Together they had three sons: David, Ricky and Ronald. Over the years, Joyce worked as a waitress at several restaurants throughout Macoupin County; clerk for Rocky's Hardware; babysat and took in laundry for several families; cleaned offices and houses in the Carlinville area with working for Dr. Anand and Dr. Padma Talcherkar as her last place of employment. She enjoyed gardening; collecting angels - cardinals - hummingbirds; doing word search books; reading; traveling; thrift store shopping; cooking Indian food for the Talcherkars and later until recently for anyone who likes Indian food; baking cookies and banana bread for the Railroad Guys at her apartment complex; church and activities there; going to lunch with her "Lady Friends" from church; most of all she loved being with family for birthdays and holidays. She was a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church and VFW. Joyce was preceded in death by her birth mother Mary A. Hampton Cook; parents Herb and Bessie Rhoads; sister Marie Pruitt; brother James Draper; ex-husband; beloved husband Dwight Gross; grandson Bret Gross Grother; great grandson Landon Gross. Surviving are her daughter Marsha (Walter) Smith of Carlinville; sons David of Virden; Ricky (Mary) Gross of Green Cove Springs, FL; Ronald (Stacey) Gross of Carlinville; 11 grandchildren; 37 great-grandchildren; 15 great-great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. Memorials can be made to Shriners Children's Hospital or Macoupin Center for Developmentally Disabled. Davis-Anderson Funeral Homes, LTD, Carlinville is in charge of arrangements.