Drew E. Ross

Drew Eliasson Ross, 25, of Parkville, Missouri, passed away unexpectedly on August 1, 2026. He was a brilliant, kind, hard-working, and loving man—husband, son, brother, student, and friend. Our hearts are heavy but comforted knowing he is in the presence of his loving Father.

Drew was born on May 31, 2001, in Merriam, Kansas, to Ryan and Jennifer Ross. He has one younger brother, Graham Ross. Drew grew up in Olathe, Kansas, where from a young age he reflected a creative and bright spirit. There are countless pictures and home videos of young Drew and Graham singing and dancing, acting out self-written skits, playing Pokémon, and exploring nature. Throughout middle and high school, Drew participated in his homeschool group’s speech and debate club, learning public speaking skills and building friendships he carried with him into adulthood. He also worked at Culver's, participated in Olathe Youth Court, and earned a third degree black belt in Taekwondo.

Drew was a follower of Jesus and was baptized when he was six. Growing up, he was involved in his church youth group and the youth worship band. In college, Drew invested in people through co-leading a Bible study and serving as a resident assistant in his dorm. He had the gift of wisdom, offering a steady, caring presence and a listening ear to friends. Throughout his life, Drew cultivated deep and meaningful friendships where others felt welcomed and valued.

Drew married his college sweetheart, Delaney (Sawyer) Ross on May 26, 2024. Drew was a remarkably thoughtful, supportive, selfless, and loving husband. Drew and Delaney enjoyed spending time together baking, reading, playing pickleball, going on coffee shop dates, being outside, and playing with their cat Muffin.

Drew graduated from Southwest Baptist University in 2024, and he was pursuing a PhD in Computer Science at the University of Kansas. He loved helping and teaching others, especially in his time as a teaching assistant at KU and research assistant with BioData Solutions. He was deeply passionate about using artificial intelligence to tackle some of the most complex puzzles in biomedicine. His research, SoftGene, sought to help researchers make sense of the vast, interconnected networks of genes that drive human health and disease. His first research paper is about to be published. Drew brought patience, creativity, curiosity, and profound purpose to his work every single day.

Music was a major part of Drew’s life. He played electric guitar and piano, often dedicating himself to meticulous practice at home. He studied music theory, loved playing improv jazz with friends, and was planning to join his church’s worship band this summer. Drew collected vinyl records and always loved listening to them with his dad.

Drew loved coffee and could often be seen drinking an Americano. He enjoyed cooking and baking, using his creativity in the kitchen, and couldn’t turn down Kansas City BBQ or Indian food. He loved dogs and was excited to adopt his own one day. Since studying at KU, Drew enjoyed watching college basketball and cheering on the Jayhawks. Drew loved running and being outdoors and had goals for future travels to national parks across the U.S.

Drew was an incredibly kind, intelligent, humble, driven, and selfless man. His calm, welcoming, and steady spirit was a blessing to everyone he impacted throughout his life. His presence will be deeply missed.

Drew is survived by his wife Delaney Ross of Parkville, Missouri; his parents Ryan and Jennifer Ross of Olathe, Kansas; his brother Graham Ross of Olathe, Kansas; his grandparents Linda Ross of Hutchinson, Kansas, David Farris and Cindy Egger of Kansas City, Missouri, and Laura Farris of Olathe, Kansas; and many beloved family members and close friends. Drew was preceded in death by his grandfather George Ross of Hutchinson, Kansas.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts be made to the KC Pet Project.

A celebration of life service will be held at 1:00 pm on August 22, 2026, at Penwell-Gabel Funeral Home in Olathe, Kansas. Immediately following the celebration of life, the family invites everyone to a reception at Heritage Presbyterian Church in Olathe, Kansas.

To leave a special message for Drew's family or to share a memory of Drew, please visit the guestbook below.