Ross Edward Hise, 83 years old, of Austin, Texas, peacefully passed away on the morning of October 21st, 2016, after living several years with Alzheimer’s. He is survived by his wife Zora Mae Hise, his son Paul Hise (wife Kerry) of Austin, his son Clark Hise (wife Sharon) of Dallas, and his daughter Laura Hise of Laurel, Maryland. His grandchildren are Andrea Whiteside (husband Paul), Eric Hise (wife Alison), Ryan Hise, Carly Hise, and Jacy Hise. His great-grandchildren include Ashlyn, Ben, Casen and Chloe Whiteside, Avery and Jacob Hise.
Ross was the youngest of Luther and Lockey Hise’s six children. He was born at home in Falfurrias, Texas on November 29th, 1932. His father died when Ross was 2 years old, leaving his mother to run a dry cleaning and tailor shop while raising her six children with the help of an aunt. As a child, Ross was watched over by the small community of Falfurrias. Ross’s oldest brother, Luther, Jr. died in a military training flight accident when Ross was 11. Because of his faith, Ross was baptized into God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit at First Baptist Church of Falfurrias. As a high school student, he started to direct choirs which began his lifetime of following the call wherever he went. After graduating from Falfurrias High School in 1949, Ross attended college at Sul Ross State College in Alpine, Texas and graduated in May of 1953 with a Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Education.
Ross was employed by the Sligo ISD in Denver City as a choir director for 5th through 12th grades, where he met and married Zora Mae Sweat on April 16, 1954. That summer, Ross was drafted into the United States Army, becoming an Army Bandsman (the only time he did not direct choirs). He was transferred frequently: from Texas to Fort Ord, CA, Aberdeen, MA, and Stuttgart, Germany. Ross and Zora Mae were able to use his leave times to travel the west coast of California, the east coast of Maryland, and several countries in Europe before returning to Texas in 1956.
After Ross’s honorable discharge, they returned to Denver City, Texas, where their first child Paul was born. There, he continued choir directing as though he never left. Ross was called to be the Methodist Church Choir Director in Levelland, Texas, where the family moved. During that time their son Clark was born. Then Ross was called to be the Methodist Choir Director in Plainview, Texas, where Ross was employed as the High School Choir Director. Ross got a call to consider a move to Alpine, Texas in 1964.
He accepted the job and as a member of the faculty, Ross taught in the Sul Ross State University Music Department. Their daughter, Laura, was born during that time. Before Ross became the acting Head of Sul Ross’s Music Department, he took a college singing group – the Musical Majority – on a U.S.O. Pacific tour from October to December of 1969. The family remained in Alpine until the Fall of 1972, when they decided to move to Austin, Texas. Again attending UT at Austin, Ross was a post-graduate student at the School of Music, working on his doctoral degree.
In Austin, Ross began working for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and continued there until his retirement in summer of 1995 [his mother passed away during this time].
Ross was an accomplished vocal and instrumental musician who played several brass instruments and sang in and directed many choirs throughout his life. He was a kind, polite, thoughtful and unselfish influence on many people. Ross was a faithful member of and truly loved being the choir director for many years at Memorial United Methodist Church. He loved being around his grandchildren: teaching them life lessons, solving riddles, playing cards, and singing with them. All of his family and friends will greatly miss him, but we know without a doubt he is now singing beautiful music with the angels in heaven.
