Samson Richard Gross, PhD

DURHAM, NC – Samson Richard Gross, PhD, age 99, died at Duke Medical Center on January 19, 2026. He was born on July 27, 1926, to the late Ethel and Isidore (Ezra) Gross. He is survived by his younger sister, Rosalie Rosenthal; his three children Eva Galumbeck, Michael Gross and Deborah Gross; and six grandchildren Odette Benschikovski, Jonathan Gross, Keshet Benschikovski, Daniel Gross, Ilan Benschikovski, and Anna Gross.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Hudi Steinmetz Gross, his sister Adele Elkin, and his brothers Jesse Gross and Stanley Gross MD.

Samson R. Gross, or “Sam,” attended Yeshivat Eitz Chaim in Boro Park, and graduated from Brooklyn’s famous New UtrechtHigh School, excelling in math and music. He also played Second Oboe in the Brooklyn Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra. In World War II Sam served in the US Navy. He then completed his undergraduate work at New York University and received his PhD from Columbia University (Phi Beta Kappa)where he met his future wife Hudi Steinmetz.

Sam is widely recognized for his work as a Geneticist, Biochemist and Educator. He held the following positions: Assistant Professor, Stanford University, 1956-1957; Assistant Professor, Rockefeller University, 1957-1960; Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Duke University 1960-1965; Faculty and Research Professor of Genetics and Biochemistry, Duke University, 1965-1991; Professor Emeritus Genetics and biochemistry, Duke Universitysince 1991. Sam was also Director of the Division of Genetics in the Department of Biochemistry at Duke from 1965-1977, and Director of the University Program in Genetics from 1967-1977. Sam was on the Board of Directors of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory of Quantitative Biology from 1967-1972.

Sam also spent years as head of the Durham Jewish Federation, and then after acquiring a shofar (ram’s horn) while on sabbatical in Israel, used his oboe skills to become Beth El’s “Ba’al Tekiya,” the “master shofar blaster,” playing the shofar at the Jewish High Holidays for the Congregation. His many hobbies and interests included flying radio controlled airplanes, woodworking, attending classical music concerts, as well as walking his beloved dogs around the Duke University golf course and in the Blue Ridge Mountains in his second home near Spruce Pine, NC, where he made many friends.

Sam was a wonderful father, husband and grandfather. His sense of humor and personality always shone through. He took great pride in the accomplishments of his wife Hudi, the long serving Principal of Beth El Synagogue’s Hebrew and Sunday School. In 2014 Sam created the Hudi Gross Education Fund at Beth El.This project was deeply meaningful to him.

Donations to the Hudi Gross Education fund in memory of Samson R. Gross can be made at this link: https://www.betheldurham.org/form/donate