Local leaders mourn JR Ross’ passing

James “JR” Ross, who served at West Tennessee Healthcare as its CEO since 2017, died on Thursday morning, Sept. 12, 2024.

The announcement was made Thursday afternoon in a release sent from the WTH communications officer Amy Garner.

“It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of our beloved West Tennessee Healthcare President and

CEO, James ‘JR’ Ross as of this morning.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Ross family as they grieve and we would ask that everyone respect their privacy. The Board of Trustees and the leadership team are in prayer for all of our West Tennessee Healthcare family and medical staff members as we navigate through this difficult time. We will be providing more information once arrangements are finalized,” the statement said.

Ross grew up in Chester County and came up through the Boy Scouts organization and reached the achievement of Eagle Scout.

He started his career in healthcare as an EMT and joined WTH in 1985 as a registered nurse in the surgical ICU.

He worked his way up at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital as critical care coordinator, cardiac services manager, director of the CCU, administrator of the West Tennessee Surgery Center, executive director of Physician Services and director of case management/social services and vice president of hospital services before leading the organization.

Ross was serving as VP of hospital services when Kyle Spurgeon first met him, when he’d returned to Jackson as the president of The Greater Jackson Chamber. That first meeting would spark a friendship that would last through Ross’ promotion to CEO, the two working together as Ross was the Chairman of the Chamber and their work together in helping navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Even back then watching him interact with the people he worked with when they saw him in the hallways while he was showing me around,” Spurgeon said about their initial meeting. “It wasn’t just small talk. You could tell he cared about the people and picked up where they left off from previous conversations and had a hug for them.

“He loved people and was compassionate toward anyone that needed it, and I think that’s a big reason he was good at his job.”

Former Madison County Mayor Jimmy Harris felt the same way.

“A lot of people think that certain jobs are a calling – preacher, teacher and other ones like that,” Harris said. “JR was called to be a healthcare worker.

“He was caring and compassionate, and I don’t see how you can be a healthcare worker without caring about others and showing compassion. JR did both of those well.”

As word began to get around about Ross’ passing through the evening, Jackson-Madison County School Board Chairman Pete Johnson mentioned Ross and asked for prayers for those feeling his loss and mentioned his effect on the school district.

“The clinic at [Jackson Careers and Technology School], the middle school nursing program and the LOOP program at the hospital – those are just the ways I know of that JR impacted our schools,” Johnson said. “Of course he had a great impact on this community as a whole and will be missed.”

Jackson Mayor Scott Conger made a similar statement when he posted his condolences on his Facebook page.

“I'm heartbroken to learn that we've lost James ‘JR’ Ross, someone who wasn’t just a leader at West Tennessee Healthcare, but a dear friend and a true pillar of our community,” Conger said. “JR had this incredible way of making everyone feel seen, heard, and cared for—whether you were a patient, a colleague, or just someone lucky enough to know him.

“What I'll remember most about JR is his heart. He genuinely loved this community and gave so much of himself to ensure we were all better for it. It’s hard to put into words how much he meant to me and so many others. His absence leaves a void that can’t easily be filled, but his legacy will continue to guide us.”

Madison County Mayor A.J. Massey said in a social media post that his relationship with Ross started long before he was elected Mayor in 2022.

“JR was a friend of mine long before I became mayor. He was an example of servant leadership and modeled Christ in all his relationships,” Massey said. “He loved my family and always made sure they were handling the public life that comes along with elected office.

“I will miss him tremendously. It is a huge loss for our community but more so for the ones that knew him and loved him. Until I see you again, big guy - Love you.”

Along with Conger, Harris, Spurgeon and a handful of other local leaders, Ross was a member of the local COVID-19 Response Task Force that met daily in 2020-21 during the pandemic to discuss best methods for navigating the public health emergency.

“Of course, JR had a unique perspective speaking on behalf of West Tennessee Healthcare and the hospital,” Harris said. “And none of us had ever dealt with anything like this, so we were all almost flying blind because it had been an entire century since our country had experienced anything like this.

“But I remember JR would always enter those conversations thinking about keeping the public safe and taking care of his own people at the hospital, because became understaffed and overworked more than they were before the pandemic in a short period of time with all the COVID patients they were taking care of.”

McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport released a statement remembering Ross, who served on the Jackson-Madison County Airport Authority Board for 10 years, from 2013 to 2023, and held the position of Chairman for three terms.

“His leadership and vision were instrumental in shaping the future of McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport, helping to enhance its operations, improve infrastructure, and expand its reach,” the statement said. “His dedication to the community was evident in every decision he made and every project he supported.”

“James Ross represented all that was right in West Tennessee,” said Steve Smith, the executive director of the airport. “He was a visionary leader, a true success story in every sense of the word, and a steadfast advocate for the airport, healthcare, and the community. His impact will be felt for years to come, and he will be deeply missed.”

Both Harris and Spurgeon said Ross was always willing to take a meeting with an industry leader when they were recruiting a business to town and did his job well.

“That’s when his love for the community really showed itself,” Spurgeon said. “He could sit down with any industrial leader – whether they’re from another part of the world like Asia or another area of the South – and focus on them and their business’ needs, because oftentimes a quality hospital is a big reason a business will locate to an area.

“And Ross would sit down in front of a person or a group of people and tell them why coming to Jackson would be a positive for their business, and everyone in the room could tell that JR truly believed what he said because he loved Jackson, Madison County and West Tennessee. We all will fill this loss for a long time because of the impact he had.”

Brandon Shields, brandon@jacksonpost.news