Levinson remembers Bill Ross as a ‘dear friend’

Last Updated on Tuesday, January 15, 2013 02:51 pm Written by Suzanne Marino Tuesday, January 15, 2013 01:38 pm

Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson said Monday that his friendship with Bill Ross spanned more than 30 years, and while it was a friendship forged in politics, Ross was a very dear friend.

“Bill was the party chairman and a commissioner and then mayor in Margate when I was starting in politics,” Levinson said. “We had a very close relationship and went to many events together.”

He described Ross as quiet and dignified.

“Bill Ross was a man’s man. He liked to row, ski, play squash; he was very athletic. He was a tough guy, but yet a man of quiet dignity and extremely honest.”

Levinson said most people only remember that Ross was the chairman of the Atlantic County Republican Party, but he was also the director of the Consumer Affairs Department.
And of course, Ross was the mayor of Margate for years.

“Bill Ross loved his city; it was one of the true loves of his life and he cared deeply about the people who lived there,” Levinson said. “He was mayor of one of the premier communities in New Jersey and it is that way because of how he ran it and ruled it.

“There was no compromise. He was frugal and always considerate of the property values in the city.”  

Levinson pointed to beach block parking as one of the issues that was important to Ross, noting that when it became an election issue, he stuck to his guns, saying that property values in the beach block would be affected if parking were permitted there. He prevailed, and to this day there is no parking in the beach block.

Levinson lamented that Ross’ good buddy Harry Brown who was involved in the Atlantic County Republican Party and served as Ross’ campaign manager throughout his career also just passed.

“Harry and Bill were a real pair. They served in the Army together and ran the city of Margate together for a long time.”

The county executive joked that the market for previously owned Lincoln Continentals would never be the same without him.

“Bill loved the style of the Lincoln – never a new one, but he would buy very nice previously owned ones two at a time. The man loved his cars.”

In 2002 as Ross was stepping away from politics, the Margate School District named the new elementary school that replaced the old Granville Avenue School after him.

“Bill truly appreciated and was honored when the school was named after him,” Levinson recalled.

He said Ross will be remembered for his dignity and forthrightness and his love of community and family.

“Bill was an old-school guy with old-time values, and I will miss him dearly,” he said.