Professor James R. Gross died on Jan. 28 at the Spartanburg Regional Hospice Home in Spartanburg.

“His great creativity and the courage to press the envelope of the conventional kept the pot stirred at a party, a committee meeting, the theatre program he birthed or in a friendly conversation. … a true Wofford icon,” says President Emeritus Joe Lesesne, who was friends with Gross for nearly 60 years. President Emeritus Bernie Dunlap adds, “It’s hard to imagine the world — and most certainly the world of Wofford — without him.”

Gross served in the U.S. Army after earning a B.B.A. from Wake Forest College. He held an M.A. from the University of North Carolina and a Ph.D. from Duke University. He joined the Wofford College English faculty in 1966 and worked with students to found the Wofford Theatre Workshop during Interim 1970, directing a production of Harold Pinter’s “The Birthday Party.” Originally staged on a shoestring budget in the Montgomery Room of the Burwell Building, Wofford Theatre productions found a new home in 1981 as Gross inaugurated the Tony White Theater in the Campus Life Building with a production of “Twelfth Night.” He also chaired the Wofford Fine Arts Department.

Upon Gross’s retirement in 2003 as Garrison Professor of English and Theatre, the college named 37 cascading steps along the Liberty Trail in his honor to mark his years of service to the college.

“J.R. Gross touched the lives of generations of students, faculty, staff and alumni; they are his legacy, along with a thriving theatre program in the Rosalind Sallenger Richardson Center for the Arts,” says President Nayef Samhat.

Two of those closest to Gross, starting during their years as students and continuing throughout the remainder of Gross’s life, were Hunter Quick ’71 and Dr. Mark Ferguson ’94.

“Dr. Gross was a passionate supporter of civil rights and social justice causes. He was a gadfly among his colleagues and pushed the envelope to realize a better, intellectually honest college. He was creative, courageous, loving and a true teacher in the classical sense. He provided inspiration and clarity when there was confusion and chaos. He was fiercely loyal and dedicated to his friends. He will be terribly missed in a world in need of kind men of service and ideals and icons of his stature,” says Quick.

“To many, including me, the example of his life as an artist, a teacher and a mentor were an inspiration — a goad to make the most of every moment we have with each other and an exhortation to work hard in the service of ideals you believe in. … He was a complicated, interesting, very fun and much beloved man,” says Ferguson.

Other graduates from those years have shared their memories on social media — stories of his laugh, friendship, demand for excellence, passion for life and commitment to his craft, whether that be as a teacher, actor, director or mentor.

Beyond Wofford, Gross was an active and enthusiastic supporter of the arts, with service on the boards of the Spartanburg County Arts Commission, the Spartanburg Little Theatre and the Spartanburg Ballet Guild. After retirement, he purchased a vacation home in Belle Isle, S.C., to seek a quiet, contemplative life on the coast. He was also an avid traveler, visiting more than 100 countries and numerous states before becoming physically unable to continue his travels.

Gross was predeceased by his daughter Camille and his wife, Kay. He is survived by his daughter Austin Gross of Spartanburg.