Deputy Luke Gross Memorial Highway Dedicated On Route 3 In Trenton

About a hundred people gathered on Friday morning, July 24th for the dedication of the Deputy Luke Gross Memorial Highway on Route 3 in Trenton

Deputy Gross lost his life while responding to a traffic accident on September 23, 2021 on Route 3, near where the sign is.

The sign is located just over the Ellsworth/Trenton line and just past the entrance to Timberland Acres Campground as you head onto Mount Desert Island.

The brief ceremony was orchestrated by Chris Thornton who served with Deputy Gross on the Hancock County Sheriff's Department.

Deputy Dakota Dupuis spoke, representing the Hancock County Sheriff's Department

Representative Billy Bob Faulkingham spoke and gave a very nice speech. Thanks to Representative Faulkingham for forwarding his speech which you can read below.

Good morning, everyone.
Today, we gather to dedicate the Deputy Luke Gross Memorial Highway in honor of a man who devoted his life to serving others and made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting the people of Maine.
When I introduced the legislation to designate this stretch of Route 3 in Trenton as the Deputy Luke Gross Memorial Highway, my hope was simple: that the State of Maine would forever recognize a man whose life was defined by courage, integrity, and selfless service. Today, that hope becomes a reality.
Deputy Luke Ryan Gross served the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office for 18 years. On September 23, 2021, while investigating a motor vehicle crash here on Route 3, Luke was struck and killed while clearing debris from the roadway. He was just 44 years old.
He made the ultimate sacrifice doing exactly what he had always done—serving and protecting others.
Luke’s commitment to service extended far beyond his badge. He served as Hancock County’s DARE officer, volunteered at Camp POSTCARD, supported Hancock County Sheriff’s Charities, and invested in the lives of countless young people and families throughout our community.
But those who knew Luke best will tell you that his greatest accomplishment wasn’t his career.
It was his family.
His wife, Lauren, and their children, Ryan and Alissa, were the center of his world. One of my favorite things I’ve learned about Luke is the nickname his children gave him: the “World’s Greatest Bear Hugger.” Those four words tell us more about the kind of man he was than any list of accomplishments ever could. They remind us that behind the badge was a loving husband and father whose greatest joy was making his family feel safe and loved.
I had the privilege of attending Ryan’s eighth-grade graduation. As I looked around the auditorium, I noticed so many deputies from the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office who had come to celebrate with him.
They weren’t there because anyone expected them to be.
They were there because Luke’s family is still their family.
That simple act spoke volumes about the kind of man Luke was, the bond he built with those he served alongside, and the commitment of the men and women of the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office to never forget one of their own.
This memorial is about more than remembering how Luke died.
It’s about remembering how he lived—with courage, compassion, humility, honor, and a servant’s heart.
From this day forward, everyone who travels this highway will see Luke’s name and be reminded that the safety we enjoy every day is made possible by men and women willing to put themselves in harm’s way for people they may never even meet.
To Lauren, Ryan, Alissa, and the entire Gross family: thank you for sharing Luke with all of us. While no memorial can ever fill the void left by his passing, we hope this highway stands as a lasting reminder that the people of Maine will never forget Deputy Luke Ryan Gross—a devoted husband, a loving father, a respected deputy, and an American hero.
May God bless the Gross family, the men and women of the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, every law enforcement officer who continues to answer the call, and the great State of Maine.