Man who brought ‘Tiger Rag’ to Clemson dies at 92

A legendary Gaffney historian who is credited by Clemson University with bringing the “Tiger Rag” fight song to the Upstate school died Tuesday.

Dean Ross, 92, was the student band director at Clemson in 1942 when he found the sheet music in an Atlanta music store and rearranged it for the song now known as the “Tiger Rag.” The Clemson band now has more than 15 ways to play the fight song, known as the “song that shakes the Southland,” according to the university.

Anthony Hopper, 88, met Ross in the late 1930s when they were neighbors and friends in school. Hopper said the two had only one difference among them – Ross was a lifelong Clemson Tigers fan and Hopper was a dedicated University of South Carolina Gamecocks fan.

“Dean loved Clemson, but not in a die-hard way,” Hopper said. “He wouldn’t get mad about anything, he was just a terrific person.”

Ross was involved in numerous organizations in Cherokee County and was honored with the Order of the Crescent on his 90th birthday. A direct descendant of Gaffney’s founder, Michael Gaffney, Ross was a pre-eminent city historian, said Cherokee Historical and Preservation Society Director Jane Waters.

“He had a quiet way about him,” Waters said. “Dean could sit and talk for hours about Gaffney and gave tours to Leadership Cherokee for years. ... He will certainly be missed.”

Ross was also known in Cherokee County as the “grandfather of Meals on Wheels.”

Terry Dennis, Meals on Wheels director, said Ross had been involved with the organization in just about every capacity from delivering meals to raising funds to help build a new center in 1994. When Meals on Wheels was formed in 1984, Ross helped with its inception and served as a board member.

“He was so much more than a volunteer,” Dennis said. When the organization moved to its new center, Ross built cabinets, laid flooring and painted to save money.

“He worked so hard that when we moved, we moved into that building debt free,” Dennis said. “He was an outstanding advocate for Meals on Wheels and worked tirelessly for us.”

Hopper and Ross were in the same First Baptist Church Sunday school class for more than 25 years and served together as deacons.

“Dean, more than anything, helped out wherever he could,” Hopper said. “He always stepped in and wanted to be a worker for the Lord. So, you can look at his work spread across the county, and at the heart of what Dean did was Christianity and belief that we should all help one another.”

Crystal Fenn, Ross’s niece, said Ross was a family man and one who loved sharing the history of Gaffney with others.

“He was so involved in so much and was so knowledgeable about all things Gaffney,” Fenn said. “He was a family man and will be missed by so many people.”

Ross was a World War II veteran, who served in the Battle of the Bulge after his entire junior class at Clemson was drafted.

He graduated from Clemson in 1948 and went to work the following day as the band director for Blacksburg High School. He remained in the military and retired from the National Guard after 30 years, achieving the rank of colonel.

Ross was principal of Cowpens High School for 25 years, retiring in 1983. He was an Eagle Scout, Rotarian and involved in the Gaffney Little Theatre.

Ross was preceded in death by his wife, Ramona, and two children, Robert D. Jr. and Elizabeth Jane.

This story was originally published October 22, 2014 at 1:09 AM with the headline "Man who brought ‘Tiger Rag’ to Clemson dies at 92."