Margaret Gross

Margaret T. Gross (née Gilmartin) of Wayne, NJ, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, with her family by her side. She was born on January 14, 1937, the youngest of seven children to Michael and Teresa Gilmartin.

Margaret experienced profound loss early in life with the passing of her mother when she was just three years old. During the hardships of the Great Depression, her father was unable to care for all seven children on his own, and they were placed in foster homes. When Margaret was fourteen, her oldest brother welcomed her into his home in Pompton Lakes, where she became a cherished part of his family.

She attended Pompton Lakes High School, where she was a tumbler, and later worked at the local A&P. It was there that she met the love of her life, Robert “Bob” Gross, just months before he was deployed to Germany with the U.S. Army. While overseas, Bob mailed Margaret an engagement ring, and the two were married upon his return from Europe.

Their first daughter, Mary, was born in 1958, followed by their second daughter, Cathy, two and a half years later, and their son Bobby five years after. In 1967, the family settled in Wayne, where they made their home for more than fifty years.

In her forties, Margaret became a Licensed Practical Nurse after spending many years working with individuals with disabilities. She was deeply dedicated to caring for others and found great purpose in her work.

Margaret and Bob shared a lifetime of love and adventure. They created lasting memories with family vacations to Disney and Lavallette and continued their travels later in life with trips to Europe, Hilton Head, and numerous cruises to beautiful and exotic destinations.

Margaret’s greatest passion in life was for her family.  Nothing in the world meant more to Margaret than providing for and spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.  Margaret and Bob cherished many years of loving and loyal marriage together until his passing in 2018.  Tragedy also struck the family’s lives when her only son Bobby passed away in 2000.

Margaret will be remembered for her resilience, her warmth, and her unwavering devotion to her family.

Margaret is survived by her two daughters; Mary Meyer and her husband Danny of Wayne, NJ, and Catherine Burke and her husband Larry of South Heidleberg, PA, four grandchildren; Leiha and her husband Mike of Pompton Lakes, NJ, Dawn and husband Aaron of Pompton Plains, NJ, Danny of Wayne, NJ, and Zach of Wyomissing, PA, great-grandsons; Dennis and Michael of Pompton Lakes, NJ, and great-granddaughters; Vanna and Quinn of Pompton Plains, NJ.  She was predeceased by her husband Robert Gross in 2018 and her son Bobby Gross in 2000.