Allen "Butch" Jay Cross

Allen “Butch” Jay Cross, 75, passed away Friday, Feb. 4, at home surrounded by his loving family after a 2 1/2 year battle with cancer.

He was born Jan. 11, 1947, in Elkhart to Mahlon and Clara (Kauffman) Cross.

On March 1, 1969, he married Wanda I. Kilmer in Middlebury.

She survives along with three children, Jeff (Kathy) Cross, Elkhart, Sherry (Mark) Kunze, New Paris and Lesley (Cody) Jones, Goshen; 12 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren and another due in September.

Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by six brothers, Howard, Mel, Alvin “Sonny”, Mahlon Jr., Kenneth and James; two sisters, Amanda Thomas and Sylvia “Sis” Larimer.

Allen worked his early adulthood at Coachmen Industries as their first ever forklift driver and other positions.  But most of his life he was a truck driver for several companies including Middlebury Produce, Burger Dairy, Bakers Express and most recently, Master Brands Cabinetry as a yard jockey.

Allen enjoyed many different sports and in his younger years played fast pitch softball in Goshen and Middlebury and basketball in the Middlebury Mens’ League.  He was also an avid Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Cubs fan.  He was very proud of his family, enjoying his grandkids sporting and school events.  But most of all, he loved the family get togethers on holidays and birthdays, with the 30 plus family members he and Wanda have brought together.

Visitation will be Tuesday, Feb. 8 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. and Wednesday from 10 to 11 a.m., with funeral services to immediately follow at Yoder-Culp Funeral Home.  H. John Veenstra will officiate.  The service will be livestreamed with the link available at www.yoderculpfuneralhome.com .

Burial will follow at Benton Cemetery followed by fellowship and sharing of memories at Benton Mennonite Church.

The family would like to strongly encourage those attending the funeral service to wear a flannel shirt or sports team jersey, as Allen was never a suit and tie guy. (And yes Pete Miller, you can even wear your Bears jersey)

Memorial donations may be given to Cancer Resources of Elkhart County or Goshen Home Care and Hospice.