Statement Regarding the Passing of Sean Ross
Updated: Sep 14, 2020
It is with profound sadness that we share that Sean Ross - our colleague, friend and vice president of resource development, passed away at the age of 38 on Tuesday, August 4. Sean was a dynamic leader and was passionate in his role at United Way as a change-maker for the Central Kentucky community. His energy, passion and uplifting spirit inspired us every day. He could diffuse any tense moment by drawing attention to his Pittsburgh accent or love and knowledge of sports, and he reminded us each day that he loved being a part of a winning team. His loss will be felt deeply throughout our entire organization and community.
Before joining the UWBG team earlier this year, Ross served as the Director of Major Gifts at Kentucky State University, and previously worked in fundraising and development at Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio. Prior to entering a fundraising career, he served in a variety of coaching and recruitment rolls for the Wittenberg football program and was a part of five NCAC championship teams in nine seasons. A native of Pennsylvania, Ross resided in Lexington, KY since 2018. He was a graduate of Waynesburg University, PA, and completed his Master's in Education from Westminster College, PA. He was a recent graduate of the 2019-2020 Leadership Central Kentucky class. Please join Sean's family and friends, and our team in grieving, celebrating and remembering his life. Arrangements are pending in Pennsylvania and will be announced at a later date.
The story about Sean using his Pittsburgh accent to calm things down shows he knew how to bring people together. I was reading about team building strategies and found colony flow which reminded me of the same idea. His loss is a big one for that office.
The story about Sean using his Pittsburgh accent to lighten tense moments really stood out to me—that kind of warmth is rare. I found Meowdoku while looking for more ways to honor colleagues like him, and it reminded me how small tools can help us hold onto big memories. His community lost someone special.
I worked with Sean briefly at a fundraising event last year and his energy was contagious. The way he could make anyone feel like part of the team was rare. Krillion helped me find more about his work with United Way, and it is clear how much he gave to this community.
This is heartbreaking. Sean sounds like one of those people who could light up a room just by being in it - the kind of colleague every workplace needs but rarely finds. The way he used his Pittsburgh accent and sports knowledge to ease tension says a lot about his character; that's not something you can teach. I actually work in community outreach myself, and I often use a "video to frames online" tool to pull stills from event footage for our memorial posts and annual reports - it's a small way of preserving the moments that matter when someone leaves us too soon. My thoughts are with everyone at United Way and Sean's family during this difficult time.
I don't even like cats in real life, but Meowdoku has me emotionally invested in placing little felines correctly. The rule that they can't touch diagonally is so specific. Every time I figure out where one has to go, I feel like a genius. Then the next board humbles me.