For Dana Ross-Arlt, she knew there would be plenty of golf stories to tell and remember. But it’s those deeper dives into the heart and soul of her father that made Sunday’s “Celebration of Life” special.
Dennis “Denny” Ross, 81, died December 3 at his Le Sueur home after a sudden illness and a brief cancer battle.
Friends and family gathered Sunday at the Le Sueur Country Club, where Ross was a lifelong member and won countless tournaments. Despite his legendary career which spanned over six decades, and being considered one of rural Minnesota’s finest golfers, Ross-Arlt said he was so much more.
“To recognize who he was as a person is truly most important,” she said. “His golf achievements were many. But the person he was, that true, good-hearted person. He was loved by so many.”
The man who won tournaments in 43 Minnesota communities, 14 U.S. states and twice in Canada, Ross fulfilled a lifelong dream in 1980 at age 50, qualifying and playing in the USGA’s official senior tour, on which he spent 7 years while maintaining his Minnesota amateur status.
But he was winning tournaments much earlier, in 1955 as a seventh-grader from his hometown of Morris. Four years later, he recorded his first of five holes-in-one. He went on to star in golf, basketball and bowling during his days at the University of Minnesota, Morris.
Still, it was as a Le Sueur Country Club member where Ross became known as one of the region’s best. He won over a dozen club championships over the rolling hills of a Le Sueur golf course. Located about 4 miles southeast of Le Sueur, it had become a favorite for Green Giant executives, many of whom called it their home course.
Ross had joined Green Giant in 1970, accepting a position as a computer systems analyst after two years working for General Electric in Phoenix. There, Ross also had golf success, qualifying and playing in the PGA’s 1969 Phoenix Open.
It didn’t take long for Ross to become a golf force throughout the region. He won Mankato Invitational tournament titles in 1971 and 1976. Ross also was victorious in the old Shoreland Open over Labor Day weekend in St. Peter, as well at courses in Blue Earth, Montgomery, Owatonna, St. James and Winthrop.
The Ross family cabin was in the Alexander area and the famous Resorters golf tournament was among his favorites, according to Ross-Arlt. It also provided plenty of walleye fishing on Lake Minnewaska, where the Ross family cabin was located.
Alexandria trips also brought Ross in contact with one of that community’s famous golfers, Tom Lehman. And it was Lehman who came to Le Sueur in 1986, qualifying for the U.S. open there. After some stumbles early, a second round 65 put Lehman on the U.S. golf circuit.
Lehman stayed at the home of Ross-Arlt and husband Arnie during qualifying rounds. Another Le Sueur Country Club women’s champion, Cathy Schluter, was among those who caddied for Lehman in the Open qualifying weekend. Schluter said it was Lehman who would seek out longtime KEYC-TV sports director Perry Dyke for golf advice. Schluter and Dyke would become frequent golf partners throughout the region.
But it was Ross who become Schluter’s favorite, a patient teacher of the game while she and Ross-Arlt played on Le Sueur’s girls state golf championships in 1982 and ‘83.
“He was like a second dad,” Schluter said, visiting a day before Sunday’s celebration of life. “This one is gonna be a fun one. I grew up with Dana and Denny. This will be a great day.”
Ross played at a special level
Schluter took to Ross’ lessons well even though her father was actually the Le Sueur High School golf coach, saying she appreciated “his sweet, soft demeanor and making people comfortable.” And the lessons learned turned her and teammate Ross-Arlt champions.
“The creativity that the man had was awesome,” Schluter recalled. “And he was so creative around the greens. And his love of the game was unbelievable.”
Ross’ nephew, Kevin Ross, now club professional at Whitetail Run Golf Course in Wadena and a 26-year PGA professional, learned his love for the game from his uncle during those early days in Morris.
“It was basically golf, golf, golf,” he said. “That all stems from learning how to play.”
After his uncle, Denny, moved to Le Sueur, Kevin Ross often joined for family get-togethers.
“This (Le Sueur Country Club) is my favorite course of any in Minnesota,” said Kevin Ross, who interned under former Mankato club pro Mike Zinni.
Another LCC member, George Riviere, became good friends with Ross and often went stroke-to-stroke with him. Eleven years younger, Ross was still tough to beat. But it was his friend’s humility which set Ross apart, according to Riviere.
“He was an absolute gem not only to golf but to life,” Riviere said during Sunday’s celebration.
Todd Lundquist of Mankato, now a member at Le Sueur, was a latecomer to knowing Ross. But he became close friends and a frequent golf partner. He recalled a story when Ross surprised his wife Sharon, getting remarried in 2015.
Lundquist, paraphrasing Ross, said: “God intends that we as human beings are to be together.”
“Denny was a humble guy,” Lundquist said. “A great golfer, a great guy.”
Ross’ wife Sharon died April 7, 2022. They were married in 1963, while Ross was in the Air Force, where he, too, won tournaments at three different Air Force bases.
Military honors followed Sunday’s celebration of life.