24 APRIL 2020 By Mallory Gleich Arcadia resident Fred Ross has seen his fair share of things, especially given that he will celebrate his 99th birthday in August. Fred and his wife, Nita (affectionately known as Nee to her family and friends), have lived in Arcadia for the past eight years. Before that, they spent 30 years in Boca Raton, Fla. And before that, they were just a couple of kids who fell in love. Fred and Nee were both born in New York; Fred in 1921 and Nee a few years later, in 1925. Growing up, Fred played hockey while Nee spent time as an equestrian. She broke a bone in her back after being thrown from her horse. After that, it was time to hang up the reins. Years later, during a 1953 Independence Day get together, the pair met while attending the same party at Sunnycroft Dude Ranch in New York. “My parents said ‘are you going to hang around the house’ and I said no, as a matter of fact, there are several gentlemen that asked me if I wanted to go [to the party] …and I decided they were right, and it changed my life,” Nee said. Fred and Nee have been together ever since. Fred attended Michigan Tech, majoring in organic chemistry. Nee claims she went to “the school of hard knocks,” and became a model and a merchandise buyer for Abraham & Straus. She even had her photo on the cover of Vogue when she was 20. Fred worked for a major oil company in Chicago. He explained that the U.S. supply of rubber was cut off by the Japanese during WWII and the government commissioned five oil companies to try and produce rubber synthetically. He was sent to Beaumont, Texas, to set up a company called Nature’s Butane Products, where they took the raw materials from the refineries and produced synthetic rubber. The company started in 1944 and is still around today. In 1944, Fred joined the Navy and headed to the South Pacific. When he arrived back in New York, he took a job as a courier in NYC. Fred set up his own business called Diamond Dust Company Inc., which dealt with industrial diamonds. He ran that business for 28 years until he sold it to a company in Belgium in the 80s. Fred and Nee have three kids: Robin, Bonnie and Richard. Robin and Richard live in Phoenix and Bonnie lives in Tiburon, Calif. Robin served two terms as a state legislator in Arizona. She ran in 1993, was elected and served as Commerce chairman in the House of Representatives, then ran for the Senate in 1998. Her district covered Arcadia, Biltmore, Paradise Valley, Old Town Scottsdale and Tempe. She also worked for Edward Jones, where Richard works, and Bonnie was an attorney who now does nonprofit work. There are also four grandchildren in the mix: Ryan, Jeff, Daniel and Taylor. When asked how it feels to be almost 100 years old, Fred answered, “you know something, truthfully, I don’t know what someone that age should feel or look like.” Mornings around the Ross house start with Fred’s special drink, made with honey, turmeric, ginger, lemon and green tea. Afterward, the pair practice transcendental meditation, where they sit quietly for 20 minutes twice a day. “I think that contributes to longevity,” Fred said. While they lived in Florida, the pair were involved in their local country club, where Fred became the founding president. He played a lot of golf and set up another business called Robbonard (the names of their kids), which primarily dealt in stock transactions. They have also traveled extensively, wandering all over the world but enjoying cruises the most. When Fred was 91, the family took a trip to Snowbowl to go skiing. “Dad asked about the senior discount and the guy asked to see his driver’s license, and when he handed it over you could just see the guy calculating 1921,” Robin said. “He says ‘can you wait one second’ and he comes out of the booth, shakes dad’s hand and says ‘you are the oldest person I have ever given a pass to, it’s free and have a great day.’” “Wherever we are is my favorite place,” Nee said. “The world is wonderful. It’s a gift; life is a gift.” The pair has been together for 66 years. Nee said that part of the success of their marriage has to do with her mellow personality and that they never argue. “We’re harmonious,” Nee said, with Fred agreeing. “He’s very sharp, very stubborn and a little spoiled,” Nee said with a smile. “You have to take into consideration the other person, especially someone that you’re in love with, that you’ve raised a family with. Don’t allow yourself to become dogmatic. Consider the other person,” Fred said. “They have respect for each other. That has gone a long way to making their marriage work,” Robin said. Fred and Nee spend time these days playing bridge, canasta and chess. They’ve been in a hot air balloon, skied and most recently went on a kayaking trip near their home in Idaho. Fred also wrote a book called The Seventh Dimension , which explores life after death. Fred and Nee say they are most proud of their family and their children, and the successes that their children have had in life. Fred says he is most grateful for his wife and her levelheadedness. “To be able to reach 60 and have both my parents; I have so much gratitude for the wisdom they’ve passed on. My mom is one of the smartest people that I know. She always has wise words for the family, and my dad has passed on a love of nature and spirituality and I think that’s guided all of his family for decades and generations,” Robin said. As far as life, career and longevity, Fred said, “if you have a desire, you should fulfill it. Try to live your life so that you achieve that goal. Don’t allow your body to deteriorate. Live a healthful life and that will help you to achieve your goal.” And retirement? “I don’t know. When I get to that age, I’ll think about it,” he said. Cheers to 99 (and 95) years for Arcadia couple Wedding in 1953. Honeymoon cruise. Switzerland in July (Yes, that is snow!). Fred, Nee and their close family. Cruise in 1995. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ROSS FAMILY

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