Wayne Anthony Ross, affectionately known as “WAR” to generations of Alaskans, passed away peacefully on April 18, 2026, in Anthem, Arizona. He was 83.
Ross, a larger-than-life figure in Alaska’s legal, political and conservative circles for more than five decades, embodied rugged individualism and an unapologetic defense of traditional family values.
His May 5 obituary notes that he was born February 25, 1943, in West Allis, Wisconsin. Ross graduated from Marquette University High School in Milwaukee and earned his undergraduate and law degrees from Marquette University. In the summer of 1967, he drove the ALCAN Highway in a 1961 Volkswagen Beetle, fell in love with Alaska, and returned the following year with his new bride, Barbara L. Froelich, in a 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle to begin their life in the Far North.
According to his obituary, his first job was as an Assistant Attorney General in the Alaska Department of Law. He later served as Standing Master of the Family Court and Court Trustee before entering private practice in 1973 and opening his own firm in 1977. He and Barbara built their family home on the Anchorage Hillside, which they fondly called “Blackacre.”
Over the next 50 years, Ross became one of Alaska’s most recognizable and influential voices. He practiced family law while writing regular columns for the Alaska Bar Rag and Anchorage Times. A two-time Republican candidate for governor, he ran spirited grassroots campaigns that nearly secured the party’s nomination. A fierce defender of the Second Amendment, he served on the National Rifle Association Board of Directors from 1980 until his death, rising to 2nd Vice President in the late 1980s. He testified before Congress and the Alaska Legislature on the right to keep and bear arms and founded the Alaska Gun Collectors Association.
Wayne Anthony Ross lived the Theodore Roosevelt ideal of ‘the man in the arena’ – and he did so with conviction, courage and a deep love for God, family, and the Last Frontier.
A commissioned officer in the Alaska State Defense Force, Ross rose to the rank of Colonel. He also chaired the Armed Services YMCA board and, for two weeks in April 2009, served as Alaska Attorney General – a brief but memorable stint that earned him the lifelong nickname “General” among friends and foes alike.
A devout Catholic and lifelong advocate for the unborn, Ross helped organize Alaska Right to Life in 1971 and served as its president and board member for many years. In 1991, he and Barbara were named Knight and Lady in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem by the Vatican. In 2012, he published his memoir, Courtrooms, Cartridges, and Campfires: Lawyering on the Last Frontier, chronicling his adventures and answering the question, “What is a nice boy from Wisconsin doing in a place like Alaska?”
Ross was preceded in death by his first wife, Barbara, after 44 years of marriage. In 2015, he married Virginia “Ginny” Brown, the second love of his life. The couple split time between Alaska and Arizona.
An avid outdoorsman, Ross spent countless days hunting and fishing across Alaska. His final hunt in September 2019, at age 76, yielded a Delta bull bison surrounded by family at his beloved lodge on Tyone Lake. He was known for his red Hummer with “WAR” plates, his poker-table storytelling, and his unwavering integrity.
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
He is survived by his wife Ginny; children Greg (Patty), Brian (Tracy), Tim (Nikki), and Amy; ten grandchildren; and his sister Kay in California.
A viewing will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, 2901 East Huffman Road, Anchorage, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 1 p.m. A reception will follow at O’Malley’s on the Green, 3651 O’Malley Road. Private interment will take place later at the Anchorage Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Alzheimer’s Resource Alaska, 1750 Abbott Road, Anchorage, Alaska 99507.
His obituary adds: “Alaska has lost one of its most colorful and principled champions. Wayne Anthony Ross lived the Theodore Roosevelt ideal of ‘the man in the arena’ – and he did so with conviction, courage and a deep love for God, family, and the Last Frontier.”
1 Comment
My condolences to the family. I heard of him off and on over the years defending 2A rights. The big American flag that hangs in the Anchorage (Army) National Guard Armory’s drill hall, was on permanent loan from Mr. Ross. I will miss him. Safe travels.