Born and raised in Two Rivers, Wisconsin, Ross always cherished his roots and made every opportunity to visit his hometown. It was there that he developed his love for golf, organized neighborhood sports, and formed a lifelong appreciation for community and connection.
Ross was the first in his family to attend college. He joined the Army National Guard to pay for college and graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh with a degree in Economics in 1962.
He wanted to move to NYC, but lost a coin flip to his buddy and instead moved to the Washington, D.C. area, where he began his career at Microbiological Associates in Bethesda, MD. While there, he met and married Jane Zwemer, and together they built a life in Poolesville, Maryland. He changed jobs to the National Bureau of Standards. While working at NIST, he started a Wednesday night golf league, in which he participated for 40+ years. Ross later had a distinguished career as the Director of State Programs for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), significantly contributing to advancements in product safety across the nation.
In 1993, recognizing the importance of collaboration within the global product safety community, Ross helped found and establish the International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization (ICPHSO) and its annual symposium, accomplishments that brought him great pride. He was the ICPHSO President for many years and the first Executive Director. He remained quite active in the organization, attending conferences as recently as October 2023 in Sweden.
Even after retiring, Ross was always on the move. He sold Tee Time golf passes, worked as a starter/ranger at Bretton Woods, and maintained an active social and professional life.
Ross was a dedicated member of Poolesville Presbyterian Church for over 50 years. A lifelong Green Bay Packers fan and "owner", he also developed a deep loyalty to the Washington Commanders (though to him, they were always the Redskins). He was thrilled to see the Commanders in the NFC playoffs and loved watching them beat the number one seeded Lions, but sadly passed before the season ended.
Ross's passion for travel took him all over the world, both for work and for pleasure. He had a natural gift for bringing people together and creating joy in any gathering. He was deeply committed to his family, always intentional about spending time together and building memories.
After Jane's passing in 2013, Ross married Lisa Roberts. They shared nearly a decade of happiness and adventure.
Ross is the 4th child of Marie Blattler and Lloyd Koeser born October 30th, 1940. He was preceded in death by all his siblings: Kenneth, Gordon, Polly, Frederick, and Ann. Ross is survived by his four children: Ken Koeser (Kathy), Karen Shields (Andy), Doug Koeser (Jessica), and Greg Koeser (Rebecca). He was a proud grandfather to 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild, all of whom adored him.
Ross lived a full and joyful life, and his legacy of love, connection, and fun will live on in the hearts of all who knew him.
The Koeser family and friends will celebrate his life at a memorial service on March 1 at 11:00 a.m. at Memorial United Methodist Church in Poolesville. The Rev. David Williams of the Poolesville Presbyterian Church will lead the service.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Poolesville Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 68, Poolesville, MD 20837 or a charity of one's choosing.