Emil M. Cross Jr.

Colonel Emil M. Cross Jr. U.S. Army (Retired) of Bella Vista, Arkansas died August 17, 2018 at Circle of Life, Legacy Village. He was the son of Emil M. Cross Sr. and Ida (Herke) Cross, born in Kansas City, Missouri, June 12, 1920; he was raised in Independence, Missouri and spent much of his adult life in the Metropolitan Kansas City area. He and his wife moved to Bella Vista in 1985. He graduated from William Chrisman High School in Independence. He attended the University of Missouri Columbia, earning a BS in Business Administration, and University of Central Missouri graduating with a MS in Education Administration. He was in World War II and continued to serve in the military for a total of thirty three years. In addition he was a mathematics instructor as well as a central office administrator in the Kansas City, Missouri school District. He was a sales manager for Franklin Life Insurance for 20 years. He was a member of the following: Military Officers Association of America, The military Order of the World Wars, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Association of the U.S. Army, Kappa Alpha Order, Alpha Kappa Psi, Sons of the American Revolution, Northwest Arkansas Genealogical Society, and Presbyterian Church of Bella Vista, Arkansas. He was preceded in death by a sister, L'Nora Wells. He leaves his wife, Muriel Anderson Cross of the home, daughter, Claudia J. Morgenstern of Washington, D.C.; son, Lon C. Cross, Sr. of Washington, D.C.; three grandchildren, Lon C. Cross, Jr. (Bud), Elizabeth Ann Cross and Mary Catherine Cross of Norcross, Georgia and one great-grandchild. Memorial Service will be at the Presbyterian Church of Bella Vista, Tuesday, August 21, 2018 at 1 p.m., with Rev. Dennis Ritchie officiating. Graveside with military honors will be in Mound Grove Cemetery, 1818 N. River Blvd., Independence, Missouri, Wednesday, August 22nd at 1 p.m. Memorials may be given to Arkansas Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Arrangements are provided by Bella Vista Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc. On-line condolences may be made at www.funeralmation.com.