Wayne County Press
Fairfield Illinois
Monday, June 24, 1996
Page 2

One of the two men dead in a shoot-out at a Clay County oil drilling site over the weekend has surviving children living at Sims.

Wesley C. Ross, 34, was pronounced dead at the Songer Township site north of Xenia at 10:35 p.m. Friday, June 21, 1996, following a shooting incident in which two died and three other men were wounded.

Mr. Ross was the father of Ryan Clifford Ross and Stephanie Nicole Holcomb Ross, both of Sims.

He had previously worked for Jenmar and currently was in oil field construction work.

Funeral rites for Mr. Ross will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday from The Frank & Bright Funeral Home in Flora, with Bro. Kenneth Hoard officiating.  Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Frank & Bright.

He was born at Flora Apr. 9, 1962, the son of James and Mary Ann Hale Ross.

He was a 1980 Flora High School graduate.

Mr. Ross was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents and paternal grandfather.

Memorials may be made to the family.

Surviving are a son, Ryan Clifford Ross and a daughter, Stephanie Nicole Holcomb Ross, both of Sims; a grandmother, Generll Kroeger, of Flora; a step- grandfather, Henry Kroeger, of Flora; his father, James Ross, of Tennessee; his mother, Mary Ann Hale, of Chicago; five brothers, Curt Ross of Oblong; Bill Davis of Chillicothe, Ill.; Joe Davis, of Springfield; Jack Davis, of Olney; and Shelby Davis, of Flora; three sisters, Mrs. Charles; (Sandra) Harmon, of West Liberty; Marsha Kroeger, of Flora; and Mrs. Richard (Darla) McWhirter, of Flora; two half- brothers, Mark Ross, of; Las Vegas, Nev.; and Melford Hale, of Chicago; three half-sisters, Mrs. Ashley (Diane) Moore, of Flora; Barbara Hale, of Chicago and Debbie Hale, of Chicago; and  several nieces and nephews.