My brother-in-law passed away suddenly and without warning last Tuesday, June 4th. He was a devoted husband to his wife and soul mate, Greta, and wonderful father to their five beautiful children. Hise was no individualist — he was an idealist.  He preferred the company of others of shared purpose and belief.  He could be inspired, and, in turn, he could inspire others.

We begin to remember not just that you died, but that you lived. And that your life gave us memories too beautiful to forget.

You were all I could ask for in a brother-in-law. It was a pleasure to be in your company. Now you have joined my beloved son in the bosom of the Lord.

Your actions were always kind

A generous hand and an active mind

Anxious to please and loath to offend

A loving brother and faithful friend

We’ll all miss you very much

You touched so many lives with your kindness, caring, loving and peaceful nature. You will surely be missed.

Hise was a man who didn’t have a mean bone in his body, a warm

friendly man who made his mark in the world not with grand gestures or

fancy titles, but by the basic goodness and generosity of his character,

by the quality of his involvement with his fellow man, and how he

brought out these qualities in others.

There is a poem that speaks to these qualities ‘The House by the Side of the Road’ by Sam Walter Foss

There are hermit souls that live withdrawn

In the place of their self-content;

There are souls like stars, that dwell apart,

In a fellowless firmament;

There are pioneer souls that blaze the paths

Where highways never ran-

But let me live by the side of the road

And be a friend to man.

Let me live in a house by the side of the road

Where the race of men go by-

The men who are good and the men who are bad,

As good and as bad as I.

I would not sit in the scorner’s seat

Nor hurl the cynic’s ban-

Let me live in a house by the side of the road

And be a friend to man.

I see from my house by the side of the road

By the side of the highway of life,

The men who press with the ardor of hope,

The men who are faint with the strife,

But I turn not away from their smiles and tears,

Both parts of an infinite plan-

Let me live in a house by the side of the road

And be a friend to man.

I know there are brook-gladdened meadows ahead,

And mountains of wearisome height;

That the road passes on through the long afternoon

And stretches away to the night.

And still I rejoice when the travelers rejoice

And weep with the strangers that moan,

Nor live in my house by the side of the road

Like a man who dwells alone.

Let me live in my house by the side of the road,

Where the race of men go by-

They are good, they are bad, they are weak, they are strong,

Wise, foolish – so am I.

Then why should I sit in the scorner’s seat,

Or hurl the cynic’s ban?

Let me live in my house by the side of the road

And be a friend to man.

There were many wonderful aspects to Hise’s life, and many ways that he touched our lives. He will be remembered as a wonderful husband, father, son, brother, a great friend, a generous uncle, cousin, outdoorsman, an athlete, and teacher, a man of the Lord's word in church, or in the yard of his house by the side of the road. In all these ways and more, he made our lives richer and fuller. Now that he has passed away, of course there is emptiness and pain, confusion and maybe even anger at death coming to a man of only 68 years, but in many ways, the gift of Hise’s life is still here with us. He lives on in our memories and stories, and in what all of us have become because of him. So I encourage you to share –today, tomorrow and in the years to come- your memories and stories, and to share the pain of your loss as well. In this way we will keep the gift of Hise’s life alive.

• Remembering his wonderful and gentle soul will forever remain in our hearts. May he rest in peace!