Winston A. Ross, LMSW, CCAP, president of CAPLAW, Inc., Board of Directors and former executive director of Westchester Community Opportunity Program, passed away at his home in Somers, New York, on Sunday, September 6, 2015. He was 73 years of age. In 1989, Winston received the NYS and National Social Worker of the Year Award. He was honored by Westchester County in 2012 for his professional and civic accomplishments and presented with the Black History Month and Trailblazers Award. Over the years, he was recognized by many organizations for his involvement in the community. As president of the Board of Directors of CAPLAW, Winston guided the nonprofit membership organization as it provided the legal, governance and management resources to the national Community Action Agency (CAA) network. As established by the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, CAAs have been working to strengthen low-income communities and to help low-income individuals and families achieve self-sufficiency and economic security. Winston’s tenure with the Westchester Community Opportunity Program began in 1984 and continued until his retirement in August 2013. He was the past president of the Yonkers Branch NAACP (1971-1978); the past first vice-president of the National Association of Community Action Agencies; the former chairperson of the NYS Social Work Board; and past first vice-president of the National Association of Social Workers. Always active in the fight against discrimination, Winston as president of the Yonkers NAACP did the research and initiated action leading to the federal case against the City of Yonkers. Until his death, Winston served on the NYS NAACP as ACT-SO chair. He was a member of the Westchester NAACP ACT-SO Committee; the Yonkers NAACP Executive Committee; Westchester Residential Opportunities Program, Inc.; and Aids Related Community Services and Housing Action Council. He was also a member of the Westchester County African American Advisory Board; the Westchester County Criminal Justice Advisory Board; the Westchester Martin Luther King, Jr. Institute; and the Rotary Club of Yonkers. An active member of Metropolitan AME Zion Church in Yonkers, he chaired its Trustee Board since 1973. Winston Ross was born in St. Kitts, British West Indies, on December 2, 1941, and grew up in Yonkers. He received his BS degree from New York University and entered the US Army to service his country. After he was honorably discharged from the military, he began his social work career with the NYC Department of Social Service and earned his Masters in Social Work from Columbia University. He is predeceased by his parents Reginald and Ruby (nee Swanston) Ross, and his brother and sister-in-law Clarence and Sandra Ross. He is survived by his wife of 46 years Rosalind (Lynn), his brothers William Ross (Myrna) and Frank Ross (Cecelia), his sister Agnes Jeffery, and many nieces and nephews and friends. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Winston's name to Westchester ACTSO, (checks payable to West. Reg. ACTSO Coalition), PO BOX 57, Elmsford, NY 10523. The Entire Staff of Lee's Funeral Home, LLC respects that the family of Winston A. Ross entrusted the care of their loved one to us, and that they value the level of service & attention our funeral home provides. We are honored, in turn, to provide comfort, assistance and service to the family of Winston A. Ross during their time of bereavement.