Mrs. Annie Ruth Ross was born July 18, 1929 in Macon, Mississippi to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Horace and Catherine Clay Sr.  She was the 3 ^rd of 11 children.  She came to E. St. Louis with her family in 1934, where she enrolled in the E. St. Louis public school system and graduated in 1949 from Lincoln Sr. High School.

Shortly after moving to E. St. Louis, Annie and her family joined St. John – Brown Community AME Zion, where she would serve faithfully as a member, missionary and member of the Mother's Board.  Annie worked for Midwest Uniform Services where she retired after 35 years of service.

Annie joined John E. Ross Sr. in union in 1949.  This union of 53 years was blessed with 3 children; Shirley, Carolyn, and John Jr.  Annie, affectionately called Madea, would become a mother and support for a host of others.  Her love for cooking and family would shine through as she walked a path of helping others.

She was preceded in death by her husband, a daughter, a son, two sisters and five brothers.   She leaves to cherish two daughters; Shirley Ross and Vera Pernell, a son; Ronald Williams (Linda), two sisters; Bertha Bell and Remonia Jemison, two brothers; Charles Clay, Lavell (Bertha) Clay, one sister- in-law; Lenia Wheeler and two brother in laws; Joseph Ross and James (Clementine) Ross, grandchildren; Tracy, Trenier, Blake, Joreal, Mercedes, Shara, Breanne, Rodney, Regina, great grand-children;  Jalen, Bailey, Kingston, King, Michael III, Aaron Jr, and Duane,  special nephews, Patrick and Clifford, and a host of great, great grand-children, nieces and nephews.