Ross Edward Carley, died at the Citrus Memorial Hospital on Wednesday, January 11, 2012 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.
Ross was born in Chicago in 1931, but grew up in California. He graduated from Palo Alto High School, and then served 4 years in the Navy during the Korean Conflict aboard the U.S.S. Kidd.
He graduated from San Jose State College, California, with a degree in Business Administration. He was a member of the golf team and medalist in several intercollegiate tournaments. He was a member of Delta Upsilon Fraternity.
Ross was a member of the Northern Ohio section of the Professional Golf Association and a Class A Member of the National PGA. He became a life member of the PGA in 1997 and was honored with a membership into the PGA Half Century Club in 2011.
Ross won the Akron (Ohio) Open in 1960 and in that same year, he and his partner, Bob Seyler of Mansfield, finished second to Jack Nicklaus and his partner at the Losantiville Pro-Am Tournament in Cincinnati. In 1963 he played in the PGA Championship in Dallas, which was won by Jack Nicklaus. He played the Caribbean Tour in 1963 and the PGA Winter Tour in 1964 and 1965.
Ross became the Head Professional at the Marion Country Club (Marion, Ohio) in 1961, having previously served as Assistant Pro at the Westbrook Country Club in Mansfield, Ohio. He remained at the Marion Country Club until his retirement in December of 1996. His 36 year tenure at the Marion Country Club was the longest consecutive service at one club by any active golf professional in the Northern Ohio PGA section. At the time of his retirement, the Marion Country Club game him a lifetime membership to the club and honored him with the title of Golf Professional Emeritus.
Ross set the course record at the Marion Country Club in 1968 by shooting 66, a record which stood until 1976. While at the Marion Country Club, he instituted the Men’s Invitational Tournament and the Junior Golf Program. He was a board member and consultant for the Heart of Ohio Junior Golf Program since its conception.
He restored the golf clubs used by President Harding which are in display at the Harding Home in Marion, Ohio. One of his proudest accomplishments came in 1961 when he and Dr. William Leffler re-routed the front of 9 holes at the Marion Country Club, which had been built in 1958, as it basically plays today. More recently, the club honored Ross when they created the “Carley Cup” which is presented annually to the best male and female golfers of the year.
In 1961 in the Chapel at Baldwin-Wallace College, Berea, Ohio, he married Jean Ryan. She survives in Inverness, Florida. He is also survived by their son Scott, and their daughter, Lynn Baldwin, her husband Tommy and their sons Bennett and Jacob. Ross’s parents, Navy Commander Maurice J. and Edith Carley are deceased.
Per Ross’s request, there will be no calling hours and no formal funeral service. He will be cremated and interred at Sunset Memorial Park in North Olmsted, Ohio. The Denzer-Farison-Hottinger & Snyder Funeral Home is honored to have been chosen to serve Ross’s family and condolences may be expressed to them online by visiting www.snyderfuneralhomes.com.
A reception at the Marion Country Club in celebration of his life will take place at a later date.
Memorial contributions in his memory may be sent to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Grand Central Station, P.O. Box 4777, New York, New York, 10163.
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