Edward Ross Willis

1952 - 2016

BLACKSBURG - Edward Ross Willis, known as Ross, passed away suddenly of a heart attack on November 14 in Blacksburg, leaving relatives and friends shocked and grief-stricken. Born in Hampton on November 17, 1952 to Elizabeth Kent Willis and Albert G. Willis, Jr, Ross graduated from Hampton High School in 1971 and attended Virginia Tech before receiving degrees in Instrumentation and Electronics from New River Community College. He retired in March 2015 after 35 years with the Virginia Tech Bio-Chemistry Department. The son of an engineer and the father of two engineers, Ross was well known for his creative approach to problem-solving and his ability to design, fix or build just about anything. He won many awards for his work, including the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Versatility Award in1993. Ross was a gifted athlete from an early age, receiving the Most Valuable Player award for the 1967 Thorpe Junior High basketball team and playing starting fullback on the Hampton High School football team in 1969 (state AAA champion) and 1970. He later focused on handball, receiving numerous honors over the years. He continued playing handball until the day of his death. Ross was kind, engaging, funny, warm, curious and easily liked by all who met him. Family, friends and co-workers were especially fortunate to regularly experience his offbeat, sometimes goofy, wit, and always left his presence with a smile. Mostly, though, Ross was a devoted husband and father who embraced his family with passion, conviction and commitment. He was married for 33 years to his beloved Bobbie Niederlehner, an analytical chemist for the Virginia Tech Department of Biological Services, and was the proud parent of Scott Willis of Charlottesville, a mechanical engineer with the federal government, and Robin Willis of Alexandria, a structural engineer. In addition to Bobbie, Scott and Robin, Ross is survived by his brother Kent Willis and sister-in-law Sheila Crowley of Mathews County, his stepmother Betty Willis of Seattle, as well as brothers-in-law John Niederlehner of McLean and Jim Niederlehner and family of Roanoke. He leaves behind many other relatives, former co-workers, and a close-knit group of friends in the Blacksburg community. His oldest brother, Skip Willis of Charlottesville, passed away in 2013. WDBJ Television in Roanoke aired a tribute to Ross on November 16. It can be found at http://www.wdbj7.com/content/news/Virginia-Tech-remembers-former-employee-who-died-Monday-on-Drillfield-401581506.html. The family's final toast to Ross was simple and true: "The best dad, the best brother, the best husband." Friends who wish may make memorial contributions to the charity of their choice.