Bob and Lanny Kross met at a "Parents Without Partners" meeting in Binghamton after the death of Bob's first wife, Lynne. Bob retired from Seton Catholic Central High School in 2004 after teaching business there for 11 years. He currently volunteers his time as Rotary treasurer, church treasurer, and Habitat bookkeeper. Lanny is a Medical Lab Tech at United Medical Associates in Johnson City. Bob has three children and seven grandchildren; Lanny has two children and 3 grandchildren.

Bob was born and raised on Long Island and taught school there for 21 years before moving to Montrose. He was raised in the Catholic faith but became disenchanted with Catholicism after the children were born. "I felt that very little biblical application was being taught in the church." Things changed in 1979 when his two-year old son Todd was struck by a car and thrown 60 feet in the air. He was pronounced dead twice on the way to the hospital, and x-rays showed he had a broken neck. It was at this time that Bob accepted the Lord. After many hours of prayer, a miracle happened. Doctors were baffled when new x-rays showed no broken neck. Today Todd is healthy and singing for the Lord on the worship team at his church in Johnson City.

In 1977 Bob and his wife moved to this area. They started two businesses, Kross Country Shoes and Scoops Ice Cream. Bob started teaching at Seton in 1993 and sold both businesses when his wife became ill. Lynne died in 1995. Lanny was also born on Long Island. Although her father sang in the church choir, it was her 1st grade teacher who started her going to Sunday school and church. She realized God's power during a pre-confirmation program her parents attended. Her mom had not been to the church before and was an alcoholic. During that program she felt a great peace come over her. She never drank again and began attending church regularly. Lanny and her husband joined a Methodist church when they moved to the Southern Tier.

Lanny struggled to understand what she felt was missing in that church. It wasn't until Bob brought her to the E. Free Church that the real understanding of God's salvation became clear. "We need to admit we have sinned and ask Jesus Christ into our hearts and lives; to thank God for taking away our sins through Jesus' death on the cross. Amazingly, joyously, simple." After Bob and Lanny were married, they chose E. Free as the church they wanted to worship with regularly. Both have sung in the choir at Christmas and take their turn as greeters and church cleaners.

Bob has served the church as auditor, financial secretary, and is currently treasurer and member of the finance team. Lanny is in charge of maintaining the supply closet. They both attend Greg Myer's small group on Wednesdays and enjoy the Sunday morning Bible Study.