Blair E. Cross Jr., a Korean War combat veteran and a founder of the Maryland Homeless Veterans Rehabilitation Center in Baltimore, died of a heart attack Sunday at his Port Deposit home. He was 72.
Mr. Cross was born and raised in Cockeysville and attended Towson High School until 1949, when he dropped out during his senior year to work for Acme Markets.
"He was impatient and just wanted to get out into the world and go to work," said his wife of 51 years, the former Jane Leeson, a retired secretary.
In 1951, Mr. Cross enlisted in the Army and was sent to Korea, where he served with the 45th Infantry Division. He was wounded during the furious fighting for Bloody Ridge, also known as Hill 983, near the 38th parallel. He was awarded the Purple Heart.
After returning home, he married, returned to work at Acme and raised a family. He held various jobs over the years and eventually became involved in veterans issues.
Mr. Cross worked for a small Baltimore chain of grocery stores. He also worked as a warehouse manager at the Dundalk Marine Terminal and as an auto salesman for Hinder Ford in Aberdeen. He retired in the early 1990s.
In 1970, Mr. Cross joined the Jarrettsville Post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and served five terms as post commander. He also served as state commander of the VFW's Department of Maryland in 1992.
"He was always a strong advocate for veterans. If anything ever came up on veterans issues, I heard from Blair," said Helen Delich Bentley, a former Baltimore County congresswoman. Mr. Cross served as an adviser to her on veterans affairs.
He founded Concerned Veterans of Harford and Cecil counties and in 1992 was named chairman of the Joint Veterans Committee of Maryland. He also served as chairman of the Harford County Commission on Veterans Affairs from 1988 to 1992.
"He was a very, very caring, proud and able person," Mrs. Bentley said.
Mr. Cross was a former president of the Korean War Veterans Association and at the time of his death was the group's national director of Washington affairs. He was also a member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Disabled American Veterans and American Legion.
"Even during the last few weeks before his death, he was lining up buses to take veterans to the World War II Monument in Washington. He was never without a project," said Joe Brooks, a retired major general and longtime friend. "The things he set in place will continue."
