William Stuart Ross, 78

William Stuart “Stu” Ross (78), of Post Falls, died Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, from a long battle with COPD, plus a push to the finish line by some nasty pneumonia that even Stu’s optimism and stubbornness couldn’t beat. Stu fought bravely. He spent his last couple of days with his son Greg by his side, joking around, loving all the texts and calls from friends, thanking nurses and doctors, yet violating every policy regarding “approved” food (Stu loved his apple fritters).

After growing up in Florissant, Mo., the son of William “Bill” Ross and Mom Billie, Stu decided (against his parents' better judgment) that joining the U.S. Army and volunteering for Vietnam sounded like a good idea. There, he became a hero (though he would never have claimed it), earning the Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal, Cross of Gallantry, and numerous other medals for saving injured comrades during a firefight and similar events in 1969-70.

After the Army, Stu decided to pursue a career working outdoors in the Western wilderness he loved, studying land surveying at Oregon Tech in Klamath Falls. During his training, he took a survey project in Jamestown, N.D., where he just so happened to meet the love of his life, Wanda. They married in 1971 and were inseparable for the next 35 years until Wanda’s passing in 2006. After finishing his degree, Stu joined the Bureau of Land Management and spent five years working on projects around the country until he was assigned to North Idaho in 1978, decided it was “his place,” and has called it home ever since.

During Stu’s years with BLM, he was a respected cadastral surveyor who led projects across the Northwest, and some of his complicated surveys and techniques are still studied and copied to this day. Stu knew more about the geography of Idaho than almost anyone (but thankfully didn’t bore his family with too many details). He hiked darn near every inch of the State. But more importantly, he was a great Dad to his two sons, Greg and Billy. He was a baseball Dad. He was a fisherman and loved his dogs. He was an example. He was generous and loyal. He was a doting husband and dedicated totally to Wanda for 35 years. He was an earnest outdoor American adventurer in an age when those strong characters are waning. Stu secretly wanted to be Marshal Dillon and Jeremiah Johnson. And he was a handsome, funny, Marlboro-smoking (until he finally quit in ’18), beer-drinking, good friend and boss. And over the last two decades he’s been a doting “sports Grampa” to three grandsons in Maryland.

When Wanda passed away in ’06, Stu drove her himself across the Montana Hi-Line, down through North Dakota and South Dakota, taking the “long way” to revisit some of the places they loved, en route to her final resting place at Jefferson Barracks National Veterans Cemetery in Missouri. Now, 20 years later, Wanda got tired of waiting and let him know about it … So, Stu will soon be buried right beside her. He can’t wait …

Stu is survived by his son, Greg, beloved daughter-in-law Beth, grandsons Sam (21), Charlie (19) and Ben (16), granddaughter Shyre (23), and his younger sister, Janet Cole. He will be interred beside Wanda and celebrated with military honors Nov. 27, 2026, at 11:30 a.m., at Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis, Mo. Contact family for further details.

Visit Stu's memorial and sign his online guestbook at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.