James Evan Gross

James Evan Gross, 30, of Hermosa Beach, CA, died June 7, 2018.

Visitation will be at Green Hills Memorial Park, 27501 S Western Ave, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275, from 4:30-8:30 p.m., Friday, June 22, 2018. Service will be at St Francis Episcopal Church, 2200 Via Rosa, Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90274 at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, June 23, 2018 with interment at 1:30 p.m. at Green Hills Memorial Park.

He was born October 3, 1987 in Lebanon, PA to Strother and Susan Gross and baptized shortly after. He walked across the living room on his 1st birthday. Rabbi Goodman coined him an “old head” because he acted older than his age. James loved fishing, video games, reading books and research. James was the oldest of four children. His family moved into the house he found in Kansas in 2002. He graduated from Goddard High School early in December 2005. James met the love of his life while in college playing sand volleyball with his fraternity Beta Theta Pi. He graduated from Wichita State University December 2009 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and Cum Laude honors while also working as a Research Engineer at the National Institute for Aviation Research where he specialized in friction stir welding. James married Megan Cheri Gobel August 7, 2010 in Valley Center, KS and celebrated a honeymoon in New York, New York. Together they enjoyed traveling to every continent to see all the world’s wonders. They moved to Southern California December 2011 for James to pursue his career at SpaceX as a Manufacturing Engineering Manager, utilizing his specialized skills and experience with friction stir welding. James was passionate about taking his teams and processes from development to production for achieving Elon’s goal of making life multi-planetary. When he was not working or traveling the world with his wife, James was an avid hiker, talented photographer, NPR enthusiast, volleyball player, beach napper, sports fanatic (especially any Philadelphia teams), and Southern California explorer. He sought out unique and adrenal evoking experiences, such as skydiving, bungee jumping, repelling, hot air ballooning, swimming with sharks, playing with tigers and more. He completed his first Spartan Beast race in May 2018. He was also participating in the Six Pack of Peaks 2018 Challenge and had already hiked Mount Wilson, Cucamonga Peak, Mount Baldy, and Mount San Jacinto. James had also just bought his first home with his wife in May 2018. James was always purpose driven and an inspiration to others. He was a friend to all with a generous spirit and willingness to help. He was a loving and romantic husband devoted to making a life of happiness with his wife.

James is survived by his wife, Megan of the home; parents Strother and Susan Gross of Temple, PA; grandparents Ruth Gross of Port Charlotte, FL, Gene and Barbara Meek of Strasburg, PA; brother Andrew (Chelsea) Gross of Kansas City, KS; sisters Rebecca Gross of Puyallup, WA, Suzanne Gross of Bloomsburg, PA; 7 nieces and nephews and numerous extended family who will dearly miss him. James was preceded in death by his grandfather Dr Ralph James Gross.