Robert E. Gross
1897–1961 (age 64)
Aviation Entrepreneur
Biography
Robert E. Gross, born in 1897, rose from a childhood fascination with machines to become an aviation entrepreneur of national renown. He steered Lockheed through the challenges of the 1920s and 1930s, championing sleek, reliable aircraft and preserving a prideful belief that flight should serve humanity's highest aspirations.
His steady leadership encouraged engineers and executives alike to keep innovation tethered to ethical responsibility, and in retirement he found peace among the trees of Forest Lawn Memorial Park, where he is remembered for both daring and care.