OKIE FROM MUSKOGEE: No place better for Ross than Muskogee

May 27—Dave Ross lived all over the place growing up and as an adult, and several times that place was Muskogee.

"It's always been home," he said. "My mom, her family was from Muskogee. My dad was from Stilwell. If we ever had roots, Muskogee was our roots."

That's one reason he says he has a passion to make Muskogee better and support philanthropic efforts.

Born in Sedalia, Missouri, Ross moved to Muskogee when he was a little more than 1 year old. The family moved to California a year after that. He said his father was in heavy construction, work he and his brothers also did.

Ross moved back to Muskogee in 2005, when he opened Central Mortar and Grout. He worked there until 2021.

"I worked for a company out of Houston, which was great for two years, until they asked me to move to Houston, and I said 'that's where we're going to part ways.' I was done moving," Ross said.

He became a Master Mason and joined Bedouin Shrine. He said the Shrine is dear to his heart because of its hospitals and burn centers for children.

"I suffered a serious amputation and burn as a child," he said. "Although I was not treated at a Shrine Hospital, their mission to help children with burn and orthopedic needs resonated within me. I understand the pain and stigmatism that comes with outward scars, and the effect it can have in your youth."

Ross helped get Bedouin Shrine involved with the Exchange Club of Muskogee's Chili and BBQ Cook-Off. The Shrine's Bandit's booth won Grand Champion four years.

He and his family also are in the clothing business.

"My wife and daughter started the Festive Nest Boutique downtown six years ago," he said. "Then two and a half years ago, We started Okie Outfitters, the men's store downtown. That came about because Dillard's left, JC Penney left. There's not a decent place for men to buy clothing. It was my idea and the girls took it and ran with it.

Taking barbecue more serious

Dave Ross says it took a few years for the Bandits booth to win the chili and barbecue cook-off. Those first few years were more for fun, he said.

"About the third year, my wife told me I'm a better cook than what I'm showing, and I took it to heart," he said. "We started taking it serious and really cooking good food, getting it in to the judging and serving it as well."

The booth won the president's award on the second year.

"From then on, we had taken it very seriously and from that year forward, we won Grand Champion every year," he said.

Ross said his wife and team members set up the booth with balloons, trinkets beads, plus slushes for the children. They seek to serve a variety of food.

"This year, we had pulled pork sliders, pork belly burnt ends, ribs, chicken wings," he said. "We served a variety of food and a lot of it."

This year's booth served 90 pounds of brisket, 100 pounds of ribs, 60 pounds of pork belly and 140 pounds of pork butts.

"And unfortunately we were out of it, so next year, there will be 180 pounds of pork butt," he said.

Using skills for different ventures

Ross uses his metalworking skills in so many ways.

He said the process takes a lot of blood sweat and tears,

"It's all cutting and welding, I have everything CNC (computer numerical control) plasma cut and we bring it here," he said. "I'm good on auto cad. I have everything cut out and we bring it here and do all the fabrication and welding."

The smoker and all its components ended up being a three-year project.

"There's probably, conservatively 400-500 man hours in the trailer, the smoker, the grill," he said.

He said it took five and a half weeks to get the smoker built, panted and seasoned. The next year, he built the trailer for the smoker. The third year, he installed a sink, water tank and a Santa Maria Grill, which can raise and lower the grill from the flame.

Ross also built most of the fixtures at Okie Outfitters.

"Everything you see in here that's black," he said. "Everything that the clothes are on, and the cash wrap and the back wrap, all the display cases are made at the shop."

Classic car is almost done

Ross spends a lot of time working on his 1972 Chevelle, which he bought four years ago near Chickasha.

"I love classic Chevrolet cars," he said

He said it was in poor condition when he got it. The frame was old and rusted, stripped to bare metal. The unpainted frame hangs from the ceiling as Ross works on the motor and chassis.

"I tore it apart and rebuilt everything, redid the motor, put in a transmission," he said. "We have a brand new engine, Holley Sniper fuel injection, 4L65-E overdrive transmission, nine inch Ford rear end, Flowmaster exhaust."

He said he's put about 500 hours of work into it.

"Hopefully, it will be back together as a car in the next couple of months," Ross said. "It will only take about an hour to put the body on it."

The Chevelle will then go to a shop for final body assembly and painting, he said. "Then it will come back here to do the interior and electrical."

Q and A

HOW DID YOU COME TO BE AN OKIE FROM MUSKOGEE?

"I had one daughter at OU, one daughter at NSU. The wife and I were in Castle Rock, Colorado, and I had spent 45 years on the road and we decided enough was enough, so we decided to move back here and put down some roots."

WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT MUSKOGEE?

"The people of Muskogee are great. We have all the natural resources and transportation. We have location. We have the workforce, a great institution with ICTC. We are primed to be a haven for business growth."

WHAT WOULD MAKE MUSKOGEE A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE?

"More things for our youth, more activities and entertainment. As well as our young adults. We need to improve our infrastructure. And to be honest, we need to clean our town. There are way too many abandoned houses and buildings and others in disrepair. We need to change our image."

WHAT PERSON IN MUSKOGEE DO YOU ADMIRE MOST?

"Former and current mayors. Bob Coburn led our Bible study when we went to First Baptist Church. Just a good man, good Christian. And our current mayor Marlon Coleman. He does everything within his power to promote and make Muskogee better. There's no ulterior motive. He wants what's best for Muskogee and its citizens."

WHAT IS THE MOST MEMORABLE THING TO HAPPEN TO YOU IN MUSKOGEE?

"The first grand champion win of the chili cook-off. It was our third year in the cook-off when we started winning, the start of the third year, I said I'm a good barbecue cook and I want to take it serious, and we started winning first place."

WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?

"Spending time with my wife and kids and grandkids. I do a lot of metal work and I'm in the process of improving a 1972 Chevelle."

HOW WOULD YOU SUM UP MUSKOGEE IN 25 WORDS OR LESS?

"I love our city. We have only scratched the surface of what Muskogee can be with the right leadership. We have a great Mayor in Marlon Coleman and a council that wants what's best for all of Muskogee."

MEET David Ross

AGE: 60.

HOMETOWN: Sedalia, Missouri.

EDUCATION: High School in Aberdeen, Mississippi. Completing associate degree at Tulsa Community College. Planning to complete bachelor's degree in business management at Northeastern State University.

PROFESSION: Consulting now.

FAMILY: Wife, Sharon; daughters, Laura and Melissa, five grandchildren.

RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: Baptist.

HOBBIES: BBQ, metal fabrication, classic cars.