Edward Alsworth Ross

Edward Alsworth Ross

Edward A. Ross, a longtime Santa Fe resident and business owner, passed away on Friday, May 28, 2021, in Santa Fe, N.M. He was 86.

He was born on Oct. 8, 1934, in Evanston, Illinois, and graduated from New Trier High School. He attended Dartmouth University, where he was a varsity rugby player for all four years of college — with the nickname “The Butcher” — never missing a game due to injury. After graduating in 1956, he served in the U.S. Army and earned his law degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He was accepted into the State Bar of Wisconsin Bar in 1960.

He married Judith (Moksnes) Ross on Nov. 28, 1959, and they had two children, Stephen and Kristine. The marriage ended in divorce.

On July 31, 1971, he married Patricia (Quinn) Rouse, who had three children from a previous marriage: Christopher, Meg and Cate.

After a stint at the National Labor Relations Board in Denver, Ed worked as a corporate lawyer and director of personnel and industrial relations at Milwaukee-based Globe Union, which became Johnson Controls, for most of his career. The family lived in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin.

He switched careers in 1985, and he and his wife, Trish, relocated to Santa Fe, where they owned Schlotsky’s and TCBY. Ed was very active in the Chamber of Commerce, including serving on its board, the Santa Fe Restaurant Association, and the Y. He was an avid golfer, tennis player and skier.

Ed was a big personality, with an imposing physique and intellect. He was loyal and insightful, and he liked nothing more than helping others — especially if that allowed him to tell them what to do.

He leaves behind his wife, Patricia Ross, his daughter, Kristine Zaballos (Peter), Patricia’s children Christopher Rouse (Carol), Meg (Rouse) Garcia Shepard, and Cate Rousseau (Jim); 11 grandchildren: Elizabeth Shepard and Catherine Garcia, Ashley Rouse, Rachel (Rouse) O’Rourke and Brendon Rouse, Lauren Ross and Alex Ross, and Emma Zaballos, Jameson Zaballos, Benjamin Zaballos and Christian Zaballos; and four great-grandchildren: Kailey Shepard, Alekzander Garcia, Ailish O’Rourke, and Iris Singh. He is also survived by his brother, Peter Ross, and his sister, Patricia (Ross) Akemann (Chuck), and their children, Peter Akemann (Claudia), Michael Akemann (Lorraine), and Kelly Akemann (Matt), Deborah Akemann and Shannon Akemann.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lester Ward Ross and Martha (Crenshaw) Ross, and his son, Stephen Ward Ross.

The family held a small memorial at home.

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