Mary Nell Hise

Mary Nell Hise, age 93, passed away peacefully at her home at the Christian Care Center in Ft. Worth, Texas, on the morning of December 31, 2023.

Our Mom, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, and good friend could easily be misperceived as a frail person. Quite the opposite was true – she was determined, tough as nails, stronger than steel, and a little stubborn at times. She survived many challenges and difficulties that came her way, including being bitten by a rattlesnake in her youth while visiting a ranch 20+ miles from the nearest town. She bore and raised three boys, and suffered the loss of Gary, her first-born son, to cancer when he was just 16-years old. She lost her husband of 63 years to leukemia, over 9 years ago. She was a two-time survivor of cancer herself. She fell and broke her hip several years ago and faithfully endured her painful rehab sessions, regaining her ability to walk. Throughout all this, she remained steadfastly committed to her faith in God, and radiated a warm, caring, and loving personality to her extended family and friends.

Mary Nell was born August 9, 1930, to Allie Bland Gates and Ruth (Ferguson) Gates in Houston, TX. Her older brother, Allie Bland Gates Jr., was three. When she was six years old, the family moved to Sanderson, TX, where her father had taken a job with the Southern & Pacific Railway Company. She graduated from High School as Salutatorian in 1947, worked for a year, and then enrolled at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, TX. She graduated in 1952 with a BS in Elementary Education and a teaching certificate. She met her future husband, Lynn C. Hise, at Sul Ross in her junior year.

Despite her parents’ warning to avoid getting involved with someone who played in a “dance band,” they fell in love and were married in 1951, shortly after Lynn graduated and before he was drafted into the Army. Her dad promised that he would drive Mary Nell to wherever Lynn was stationed if she would agree to stay at Sul Ross and finish her degree. She completed her degree and joined Lynn in California in 1952. Mary Nell worked several teaching jobs during his service, including posts in Arizona, Nevada, and California. After his discharge in 1953, they returned to Van Horn, TX, where Lynn was named Band Director at the high school. They started their family there and had three children, Gary Luther Hise (1954), Ronnie Gates Hise (1955), and Cary Lynn Hise (1958). The family lived in several small towns in west Texas, as the couple pursued teaching and school administration roles.

In Sheffield, Mary Nell taught 1st Grade to each Ronnie and Cary, while Lynn served as Principal of the elementary school and 5th Grade teacher. They moved to Big Spring in 1965, where Mary Nell worked as an elementary school teacher for over 20 years. (If you have ever received a hand-written note from her, you know she had excellent penmanship, including in the Christmas cards she wrote in December 2023!) She was well-respected as a dedicated teacher and made sure all three boys got a well-rounded education, including taking piano lessons (for at least a few years).
Losing Gary to cancer in 1971 deeply affected Mary Nell but did not shake her strong faith in God. We would always talk with her on Gary’s birthday and on the day of his passing and speculate on what he would be doing if he were alive today. The Compassionate Friends organization, members of whom were parents who also had lost children, was an ongoing source of strength and support.

After Ronnie and Cary moved away from home and got married, Lynn and Mary Nell enjoyed traveling with Lynn’s brothers and their families in various motor homes and travel trailers for many years. They made good friends with people they met in different campgrounds and kept up with them over the years. She also enjoyed vacationing at their cabin in Ruidoso, NM, which they co-owned and often shared with George (Lynn’s older brother) and Jewel Hise.

Mary Nell dearly loved her two grandchildren, Rachel Hise Alderton, and Adam Hise. They hosted them frequently at their home in Big Spring, later in Marble Falls, and in Granbury. She and Lynn also visited them often on the East Coast. They drove out a few times, pulled a travel trailer, drove a large motor home, flew commercially, and even flew out in their private plane. They treated young Rachel and Adam to a motor home visit to Busch Gardens and Williamsburg on one visit.

She was the proud grandmother of the bride at Rachel’s wedding to Michael Alderton in 2016 at the family farm of Ronnie & Barbara, near Covington, VA. (Her picture was taken at the wedding.)
Mary Nell was strongly committed to family and friends. She did her best to “stay in touch” with all her relatives and good friends from over the years, even taking on the technology challenges of learning to use email on her iPad. She often joined video calls to visit with children, grandchildren, and more recently, four great-grandchildren. In November 2023, our entire family gathered with Mary Nell to celebrate Thanksgiving in Ft. Worth. We will cherish the many memories that were created! She regaled with us stories of her early life we hadn’t heard before and was in turn entertained by the great-grandchildren hiding toys in her walker for her to discover later in her apartment. The family photo shoot generated priceless pictures of the time we shared together that week.

In her last few years, she looked forward to and enjoyed numerous visits from Jan (Hise) De Los Santos, daughter of George and Jewel Hise, often accompanied by Jan’s daughter Jessica. She would comment after these visits how nice it was to “stay up late and just talk.”

Mary Nell and Lynn moved from their home in Granbury to Lakewood Christian Care Center in Ft. Worth in May of 2014. Shortly after relocating there, Lynn was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia and passed away later that year.

Staff members and administrators told the family many stories about how kind and caring she was to all of them, always remembering their names and treating them with respect and love. “She’s the reason I come to work” and “always so kind to everyone” were typical remarks we heard. Mary Nell spent her final days saying goodbye to close friends and staff members at Christian Care, including a special friend, Jack Hunter. Our hearts were warmed, and tears flowed as we witnessed the outpouring of love for her.

Mary Nell had a deeply personal relationship with Jesus Christ her entire life. Her three or four “main” Bibles are well-worn, heavily annotated, underlined, and highlighted! Her love of the Lord and her strong personal faith formed a lifetime core strength which sustained her through difficult seasons.

Mary Nell was preceded in death by her parents, her older brother Allie B. Gates Jr., her husband Lynn, and son Gary. She is survived by her two sons Ronnie (and Barbara) and Cary (and Kathy), two grandchildren Rachel (and Michael Alderton) and Adam (and Natalie Hise), and by four great-grandchildren (Finley and Liam Alderton, Bridger and Teagan Hise).

A Memorial Service for Mary Nell will begin at 1:30pm, Monday, January 15, 2024, in the Chapel at the Christian Care Center, 5100 Randol Mill Road, Fort Worth, Texas 76112. Reception to follow in the multipurpose room. A graveside service will begin at 1:30pm, Tuesday, January 16, 2024, at Trinity Memorial Park, in Big Spring, TX.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Christian Care Center of Ft. Worth.

Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home and Crematory. Online condolences can be made at www.npwelch.com

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