Ruth Lyda Gross

Dr. Ruth Gross, 98, died peacefully in her home on June 16, 2026. She was born in Piñeiro, province of Buenos Aires, Argentina on February 18, 1928 to Maximo Filsinger and Josefina Suarez. From a young age, Ruth became interested in learning foreign languages and eventually became a teacher. She mastered English and German during her school years and received a degree in English Language Education from the National Teachers Institute in Buenos Aires. She also attended The University of London for one year, receiving a diploma in Teaching English as a Foreign Language.

In 1959 Ruth immigrated to the US to marry Gerardo Wolfgang Gross, her childhood sweetheart who had come to the US a few years earlier to pursue his studies. They lived in New York State briefly until Gerardo accepted a position in 1960 as professor of geophysics at New Mexico Tech in Socorro, where they remained for the rest of their lives and raised their family. Ruth eventually went back to graduate school to obtain a PhD in Spanish Literature from University of New Mexico in 1969. Concurrently, she became a professor at New Mexico Tech teaching German, French, and Spanish until she retired in 1993.

Aside from her professional accomplishments, Ruth was best known as a consummate hostess and excellent cook, famous for her broad repertoire including cream puffs, paella, alfajores, apfelstrüdel and aspic. Her love and compassion for others was expressed through her cooking but also through her willingness to help others with anything she could provide. She and Gerardo especially enjoyed welcoming students who were far away from their families during the school year and often for the holidays. She enjoyed gardening well into her 90’s and was especially devoted to growing irises. She loved a good joke or story and was hard to beat at Scrabble. She was selfless in her love for her family. Most importantly, Ruth was a woman of deep faith, having committed her life to Jesus Christ at a young age. She always made time to study the Bible and enjoyed sharing her insights with those willing to hear.

Ruth was preceded in death by her husband of almost 60 years, her parents and both brothers, Guillermo and Jorge Filsinger. She is survived by her three children and their families, Ruth Zahn (Philip), Paul Gross (Tanya), Teresa Jardines, Eliot Jardines, and six grandchildren, Adam, Ethan, and Graham Jardines, and Cecily, Matthias, and Anneliese Gross, along with several nieces, nephews and extended family in Argentina.

Visitation will be on Wednesday, June 24 at Daniels Funeral Home at 309 Garfield Ave. in Socorro from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. followed by private burial. No services will be held in keeping with Ruth’s wishes. To view information or leave a condolence, please visit www.danielsfuneral.com.

Ruth had a sense of compassion for people, especially children, in need. In this spirit, donations are suggested for New Mexico Boys and Girls Ranches (https://theranches.org) or Keys2Success (https://www.keysnewark.com/) or a charity of your choice.