Dr. Robert Edward Cross, Ph.D., DABCC

Dr. Robert Edward Cross, a distinguished toxicologist and professor, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully on June 12, 2026, at Brookdale of Cary, in Cary, North Carolina. He was 83 years old. Born on July 24, 1942, in Toledo, Ohio, he was the son of the late Norbert and Florence Cross.

Dr. Cross earned his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Toledo in 1965, his M.S. in Organic Chemistry in 1967, and his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Florida in 1971. Following postdoctoral appointments at Pennsylvania State University and the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, he joined the UNC faculty in 1974 — the beginning of a 26-year career at UNC that would define his life’s work.

During his tenure at UNC, Dr. Cross served as Director of the Toxicology/Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory at UNC Hospitals and Director and Associate Director of the Clinical Chemistry Laboratories. He rose to Professor in the Departments of Pathology and Medicine at UNC School of Medicine, and upon his retirement in 1998, he was honored with the title of Emeritus Professor.

A board-certified clinical chemist and toxicologist through the American Board of Clinical Chemistry, Dr. Cross served as Vice-President and ultimately President of that organization from 1992 to 1994. He was a Fellow of the American Board of Clinical Chemistry and held memberships in numerous professional organizations, including the National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry, the Society of Toxicology, and the American Chemical Society. He was the recipient of multiple honors, including the Phillip M. Blatt Award for Excellence in Teaching Laboratory Medicine (1985, 1991, and 1997) and listings in Who’s Who in the World, American Men and Women of Science, and Distinguished Leaders in Health Care.

Dr. Cross’s expertise extended well beyond the laboratory. As a medicolegal consultant and expert witness in toxicology, he served in approximately 250 civil and criminal cases over the course of his career. Among the most notable was his pivotal role in the prosecution of Blanche Taylor Moore, North Carolina’s infamous “Black Widow.” In 1989, Dr. Cross and his colleagues at UNC identified catastrophic levels of arsenic in the Reverend Dwight Moore — a diagnosis that saved the minister’s life and directly triggered the criminal investigation that would ultimately lead to Moore’s conviction for murder and a sentence of death. Dr. Cross went on to provide expert testimony at trial, helping the prosecution establish the clinical hallmarks of arsenic poisoning and demonstrate a patterned method of killing.

A dedicated educator, Dr. Cross spent decades training medical students, pathology residents, pharmacy students, and clinical chemistry fellows. He authored or presented more than 150 publications in toxicology and clinical chemistry and contributed to editorial boards of several leading scientific journals.

Beyond his professional life, Robert was a man of deep faith, warm traditions, and steadfast loyalties. A devoted Catholic, he served as a Minister of Holy Communion, bringing the Eucharist to hospitalized patients who could not attend Mass — a ministry that reflected both his faith and his lifelong commitment to caring for others. On autumn Saturdays, Robert could reliably be found in front of the television, cheering on his beloved Notre Dame Fighting Irish — a game-day ritual he never willingly missed. He and Eileen also cherished their regular escapes to Carolina Beach, where the two of them would spend peaceful hours fishing off the pier together.

In addition to his parents, Dr. Cross was preceded in death by his beloved daughter, Julie Cross, who passed away at the age of five from leukemia — a loss the family carried with them always — and by his brother, Richard Cross.

Dr. Cross is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Eileen Cross; his daughters Laura Baker and her husband Wayne, Holly Apostolopoulos and her husband Spiros, and Jill Bobbitt and her husband Michael; his grandchildren Timothy, Justin, Ryan, and Robert Baker, Julia Apostolopoulos, and Jacob, Joshua, Madison, and Lillian Bobbitt; and his great-grandchildren Cayden, Johanna, Aubrey, and Chandler Baker.

Dr. Cross will be remembered as a man of exceptional intellect, compassion, unwavering professional integrity, and genuine dedication to his family and his career.

A period of visitation will be held from 5:00 – 7:00 PM on Friday, June 19th, 2026 at Hall-Wynne Funeral Service, 1113 W. Main St., Durham, NC. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 3:30 PM on Saturday, June 20th, 2026 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 810 W. Chapel Hill St., Durham, NC, with a committal service to follow at 12:00 PM on Sunday, June 21st, 2026 at Maplewood Cemetery, 6121 Duke University Rd., Durham, NC.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Robert’s memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association. 

The Cross family is under the care of Hall-Wynne Funeral Service. Online condolences may be left at www.hallwynne.com — select obituaries.