John Howard Cross passed away peacefully on June 20th, 2024 at the age of 91 in his home in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.
He was born June 27th, 1932 to the late T. Rosier and Erma L. (Mayberry) Cross. John is survived by his wife, Yvonne (Budnik) Cross and they were blessed with 63 years of marriage.
John graduated from Mt. Vernon Township High School in 1950 and attended Milliken University in Decatur, Illinois. He was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business in 1958. During the Korean War, John served four years in the Air Force as a cryptographer, with the last two years serving in Germany. While on active duty in the Air Force, he was stationed in Montauk, New York. While in Montauk, he attained his private pilot’s license and purchased a small aircraft with several of his fellow service members.
In 1964 John and Yvonne purchased the Dairy Queen at 6th and Main in Mt. Vernon. In 1970 he and J. Michael (Mike) Davidson became partners at Cross-Davidson Real Estate and ran the agency until they retired in 1999. John and Mike built over 100 homes in the Mt. Vernon area and were instrumental in bringing many businesses to the area to help the community continue to grow and thrive. They were also partners in Pasquale’s Pizza and Pasta, Air and Sea Travel Agency, and Fund-Raising Management. John also served for 18 years as President of both Whitehall Condominium Association in Mt. Vernon, and Foxwood II of Foxfire in Naples, FL.
John was an avid golfer and enjoyed playing in Men’s League and Couples League at Green Hills CC and continued playing several rounds a week well into his 90’s in Naples, FL. He also loved traveling with his family and they visited almost every state in the continental US. They also traveled abroad visiting countries such as Northern Africa, Great Britain, and The Netherlands.
In addition to his beloved wife, John is survived by his son, Jay K. Cross, and wife, Liliana of Hoschton, Georgia, and daughter, Gretchen Cross Richardson of Sugar Grove, Illinois. John’s grandchildren are Noah Rosier Cross of Hoschton, Georgia; Liam M. Richardson of Sugar Grove, Illinois; and Brianna Rac of Hoschton, Georgia. In addition to his parents, John was preceded in death by his aunt, Marie (Mayberry) Williford of Mt. Vernon, and his uncle, Bernard Mayberry of Lincoln, Illinois.
Most of all, John enjoyed being around his friends and family and they enjoyed being around him even more. John will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him. He will be cremated and a private family memorial service will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made in John’s honor to Angels on Assignment which serves the Jefferson County area.
Call Hughey Funeral Home at 618-242-3348 or visit hugheyfh.com for further information.
