1917
James
2014
James Cross
February 6, 1917 — September 11, 2014
James Shorten Cross, 97, passed away peacefully and surrounded by his family on Thursday, September 11. He died in his White Horse Village home located in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Cross was born on February 6, 1917 in Scranton, Pennsylvania to Rebecca Shorten and Earl Cross. Dr. Cross graduated from Keystone Junior College in 1936. He continued his education at Pennsylvania State University, receiving a Bachelor's degree in 1938 and a Master's degree in 1940.
Dr. Cross continued his postgraduate education at Ohio State University in 1940. While working as a graduate assistant at Ohio State, he met his future wife, Dorothy Davis. Both his education and his deepening relationship with Miss Davis were interrupted by World War II. He served as a naval officer in critical campaigns in the South Pacific Theater aboard the USS Reno. His service included participation in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the largest naval engagement in history. The USS Reno endured and survived torpedo and kamikaze strikes during his service.
Upon his return to civilian life in 1945, Dr. Cross married Dorothy Davis, who had been serving in the Navy WAVES during most of his absence. Over the next eight years, he completed his Doctoral Dissertation, taught economics at both Penn State and MIT, coauthored a seminal textbook on Industrial Marketing, gained recognition as a leading authority on the increasingly important field of petroleum economics, and became the proud father of four of his six children. He also purchased an abandoned farm in central New Hampshire, so that he and his growing family would have a great place to play for years to come.
In 1953, Dr. Cross and his family moved to Merion, Pennsylvania, where the last two of his six children were born. From 1953 until 1975, Dr. Cross served as the Chief Economist and Director of the Economics and Industry Affairs Department for Sun Oil Company. In 1968, he was appointed as the Director of the Office of Statistical Services in the Department of the Interior Emergency Petroleum and Gas Administration. During the 1972 to 1974 energy crisis, Dr. Cross chaired the National Petroleum Council study on Emergency Preparedness for Interruption of Petroleum Imports into the United States. This effort gave rise to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. From 1975 to 1977, Dr. Cross was the Vice President of Policy Development at the American Petroleum Institute. And from 1982 to 1983, Dr. Cross directed research at the US Synthetic Fuels Corporation on behalf of the Carter Administration.
In 1963, Dr. Cross purchased Hunting Hollow Farm in Edgemont, Pennsylvania, where he and his family homesteaded for four decades. During this time, the Cross family raised horses, cattle, chickens, and bees. Dr. Cross also kept a vineyard, produced award-winning wine, and educated others in winemaking.
Dr. Cross was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy.
Dr. Cross is survived by his six children, James, Chrystine, Cynthia, Marcia, Kathy and Peter, six grandchildren, Ian, Andrew, Tyler, Paige, Roger and Skylar, and two great-grandchildren, Ella and Olive.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 20 at 11:00 am at White Horse Village. Interment private.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Doctors Without Borders, 333 7th Avenue, New York, NY 10001-5004
Dr. Cross was born on February 6, 1917 in Scranton, Pennsylvania to Rebecca Shorten and Earl Cross. Dr. Cross graduated from Keystone Junior College in 1936. He continued his education at Pennsylvania State University, receiving a Bachelor's degree in 1938 and a Master's degree in 1940.
Dr. Cross continued his postgraduate education at Ohio State University in 1940. While working as a graduate assistant at Ohio State, he met his future wife, Dorothy Davis. Both his education and his deepening relationship with Miss Davis were interrupted by World War II. He served as a naval officer in critical campaigns in the South Pacific Theater aboard the USS Reno. His service included participation in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the largest naval engagement in history. The USS Reno endured and survived torpedo and kamikaze strikes during his service.
Upon his return to civilian life in 1945, Dr. Cross married Dorothy Davis, who had been serving in the Navy WAVES during most of his absence. Over the next eight years, he completed his Doctoral Dissertation, taught economics at both Penn State and MIT, coauthored a seminal textbook on Industrial Marketing, gained recognition as a leading authority on the increasingly important field of petroleum economics, and became the proud father of four of his six children. He also purchased an abandoned farm in central New Hampshire, so that he and his growing family would have a great place to play for years to come.
In 1953, Dr. Cross and his family moved to Merion, Pennsylvania, where the last two of his six children were born. From 1953 until 1975, Dr. Cross served as the Chief Economist and Director of the Economics and Industry Affairs Department for Sun Oil Company. In 1968, he was appointed as the Director of the Office of Statistical Services in the Department of the Interior Emergency Petroleum and Gas Administration. During the 1972 to 1974 energy crisis, Dr. Cross chaired the National Petroleum Council study on Emergency Preparedness for Interruption of Petroleum Imports into the United States. This effort gave rise to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. From 1975 to 1977, Dr. Cross was the Vice President of Policy Development at the American Petroleum Institute. And from 1982 to 1983, Dr. Cross directed research at the US Synthetic Fuels Corporation on behalf of the Carter Administration.
In 1963, Dr. Cross purchased Hunting Hollow Farm in Edgemont, Pennsylvania, where he and his family homesteaded for four decades. During this time, the Cross family raised horses, cattle, chickens, and bees. Dr. Cross also kept a vineyard, produced award-winning wine, and educated others in winemaking.
Dr. Cross was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy.
Dr. Cross is survived by his six children, James, Chrystine, Cynthia, Marcia, Kathy and Peter, six grandchildren, Ian, Andrew, Tyler, Paige, Roger and Skylar, and two great-grandchildren, Ella and Olive.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 20 at 11:00 am at White Horse Village. Interment private.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Doctors Without Borders, 333 7th Avenue, New York, NY 10001-5004
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of James Cross, please visit our flower store.
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