In an era in which interpersonal communication is just a few swift keystrokes away, Jack Heise was a throwback. He preferred to write letters, and he wrote a lot of them.
In the 62 years since Heise graduated from the university, he flooded the mailboxes of Terp coaches and Athletics Department officials with handwritten notes. Some would extoll the Terps’ performance on the gridiron, and some would just express his gratitude following a dinner or event. His passion for letter-writing was only matched by his passion for the athletic programs of his alma mater.
Heise died Oct. 5 at the age of 84 of a brain hemorrhage at his home in Bethesda.
A lacrosse player and basketball team manager during his time as an undergraduate in College Park, Heise and his wife and fellow alumna Jackie Mosey Morley Heise almost never missed a basketball or football game, home or away, after he graduated in 1947.
His undying love and enthusiasm for the Terps earned him the moniker “Mr. Maryland.”
“We were stunned when we heard the news,” said Cheryl Harrison, associate athletics director for external operations, who has kept most of the letters Heise sent her over the 13 years they knew each other. “We knew he had a slowed down a little bit, but he still never missed a beat. It’s weird that people are sending us condolence letters, but we were just like family to him. We all feel a great sense of loss.”
Heise was born Dec. 13, 1924, in Baltimore and enrolled at the university in 1940. His college experience was interrupted by World War II, during which he served as an Air Force pilot in England. In addition to his basketball and lacrosse duties as a student, he also served as the vice president of the Student Government Association and was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity.
Those who knew him well said one of his wishes was fufilled when the fraternity was re-chartered in late September after being kicked off the campus in 2001. Current members of the fraternity said Heise was a staple at meetings and supported the process as if it were the Terps’ football or basketball team.
“You could tell he was really happy to see us work toward returning to campus,” said Rob Phillips, a junior accounting major who was one of many members to attend Heise’s funeral at Memorial Chapel on Friday. “He was a huge help and supported us every step of the way. In many ways, he is a symbol of the type of person we want to represent our fraternity.”
Although his legacy is not limited to his work with the Athletics Department, he is a major reason why the university’s alumni and fundraising network is so deep.
At various times throughout his life, Heise was the president of the M Club, the Terrapin Club and the Maryland Alumni Association. His donations to the Terrapin Club helped fund athletic scholarships, two of which are now in his name.
His lasting mark was evident after his passing. The entire men’s basketball team, as well as Terp coaches Gary Williams, Brenda Frese and Sasho Cirovski, attended the funeral, and the football team will wear the initials “J.H.” on the back of their helmets for the remainder of the season.
“I’m very sad today; I lost a person very dear to me,” football coach Ralph Friedgen said during last Tuesday’s press conference. “I’ve known Jack since I was a student here. He’d come to practice every Tuesday, and I’m gonna miss him quite a bit.”
Along with his wife, Heise is survived by his four children and nine grandchildren.
lemaire@umdbk.com
