Rev. Salomon Roberto Mussiett
Obituary

Rev. Salomon Roberto Mussiett, 80, of El Paso, TX went to be with Our Lord on December 20, 2012. Salomon was born August 20, 1932 in Chile to Reverend Salomon Mussiett and Berta Canales and blessed with the gifts of music, teaching, and leadership. At age eleven, he directed a children's choir composed of 40 voices, at 12 he became the church organist and won a coveted scholarship to The Normal School. There he studied piano, violin, music theory, and choir direction, meanwhile, he continued directing choirs throughout Santiago, Chile. At 18 he graduated as a full-fledged teacher, began teaching elementary school, served as organist and choir director for The First Baptist Church of Santiago. He later taught Literature, Mathematics, French, Music Ministry, Music Theory and Solfège at the Baptist Theological Seminary of Chile. In 1958, Salomon married Gladys Le-Fort. They had four children: Jeannette, Helen, Norman, and Anita. He moved to Argentina, where he directed 250 voices in the United Choir of Cordoba, for the Billy Graham Evangelical Crusades. Upon his return to Chile, the seminary named him National Music Promoter. As such, he composed, arranged songs, and compiled hymns and choral arrangements to encourage the existence of church choirs all over the country. Mussiett's talents also touched his native country's music history by being among the first to compile and transcribe Chilean folk songs onto music paper so they would not be lost but enjoyed by future generations. He spent most of his life discovering ways of learning musical instruments easily so students could learn quickly. While teaching at The Experimental School for Girls, he created over twenty publications for music reading, teaching music, and learning instruments; including songbooks for popular and evangelical music. Some publications were national best sellers and the Chilean Ministry of Education chose 16 of his books as supplemental texts for music education. In 1974, he received his Degree in Philosophy and Education with honors from the University of Chile where as professor he would teach Music Education Methodology, Philosophy and Education, and Pedagogy. He moved to El Paso in 1981, and worked at the Baptist Spanish Publishing House for 18 years as music editor, composer, music arranger, and translator while serving in various churches in El Paso and Sunland Park. He followed his dream of becoming a pastor and served as co-Pastor at Iglesia Bautista El Buen Pastor. He reprinted two of his children's music books that the El Paso Independent School District adopted as supplemental texts for elementary school use. He enjoyed woodworking, loved fishing, photography, collected watches, and built paper kites. He was great at ping-pong, target practice, and swimming. He instilled in his children love for God, love for music, and the value of hard work. He touched the lives of many through his work and by example, always giving the best of himself. He is survived by his spouse, Gladys; daughter, Helen and son-in-law Exequiel San Martin; son, Norman and daughter-in-law Rosy; daughter, Anita and son-in-law Joseph Ries; grandchildren Andrea, Denise, Alejandro, and Isabella. His sisters Sarita and Edna, and brothers Alfredo, Jorge, Donald and Ricardo also survive him. He is predeceased by his oldest daughter Jeanette; sister Anita; and brothers David and Luis. The family thanks everyone who brought him joy, his caregivers, friends and family who blessed them with love upon his passing. Iglesia Bautista El Camino held a memorial service and his ashes will be placed in the family mausoleum in Chile. Salomon dedicated his life to "teaching the Word of God through music," as he described it, often quoting Philippians 1:21 "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." We rejoice knowing he is with Our Heavenly Father and we will see him again. Faithful servant, husband, father, grandpa, brother, and tio Salito - you are loved and already missed.
Published in El Paso Times from January 13 to January 25, 2013

Rev. Salomon Roberto Mussiett
Obituary

Rev. Salomon Roberto Mussiett, 80, of El Paso, TX went to be with Our Lord on December 20, 2012. Salomon was born August 20, 1932 in Chile to Reverend Salomon Mussiett and Berta Canales and blessed with the gifts of music, teaching, and leadership. At age eleven, he directed a children's choir composed of 40 voices, at 12 he became the church organist and won a coveted scholarship to The Normal School. There he studied piano, violin, music theory, and choir direction, meanwhile, he continued directing choirs throughout Santiago, Chile. At 18 he graduated as a full-fledged teacher, began teaching elementary school, served as organist and choir director for The First Baptist Church of Santiago. He later taught Literature, Mathematics, French, Music Ministry, Music Theory and Solfège at the Baptist Theological Seminary of Chile. In 1958, Salomon married Gladys Le-Fort. They had four children: Jeannette, Helen, Norman, and Anita. He moved to Argentina, where he directed 250 voices in the United Choir of Cordoba, for the Billy Graham Evangelical Crusades. Upon his return to Chile, the seminary named him National Music Promoter. As such, he composed, arranged songs, and compiled hymns and choral arrangements to encourage the existence of church choirs all over the country. Mussiett's talents also touched his native country's music history by being among the first to compile and transcribe Chilean folk songs onto music paper so they would not be lost but enjoyed by future generations. He spent most of his life discovering ways of learning musical instruments easily so students could learn quickly. While teaching at The Experimental School for Girls, he created over twenty publications for music reading, teaching music, and learning instruments; including songbooks for popular and evangelical music. Some publications were national best sellers and the Chilean Ministry of Education chose 16 of his books as supplemental texts for music education. In 1974, he received his Degree in Philosophy and Education with honors from the University of Chile where as professor he would teach Music Education Methodology, Philosophy and Education, and Pedagogy. He moved to El Paso in 1981, and worked at the Baptist Spanish Publishing House for 18 years as music editor, composer, music arranger, and translator while serving in various churches in El Paso and Sunland Park. He followed his dream of becoming a pastor and served as co-Pastor at Iglesia Bautista El Buen Pastor. He reprinted two of his children's music books that the El Paso Independent School District adopted as supplemental texts for elementary school use. He enjoyed woodworking, loved fishing, photography, collected watches, and built paper kites. He was great at ping-pong, target practice, and swimming. He instilled in his children love for God, love for music, and the value of hard work. He touched the lives of many through his work and by example, always giving the best of himself. He is survived by his spouse, Gladys; daughter, Helen and son-in-law Exequiel San Martin; son, Norman and daughter-in-law Rosy; daughter, Anita and son-in-law Joseph Ries; grandchildren Andrea, Denise, Alejandro, and Isabella. His sisters Sarita and Edna, and brothers Alfredo, Jorge, Donald and Ricardo also survive him. He is predeceased by his oldest daughter Jeanette; sister Anita; and brothers David and Luis. The family thanks everyone who brought him joy, his caregivers, friends and family who blessed them with love upon his passing. Iglesia Bautista El Camino held a memorial service and his ashes will be placed in the family mausoleum in Chile. Salomon dedicated his life to "teaching the Word of God through music," as he described it, often quoting Philippians 1:21 "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." We rejoice knowing he is with Our Heavenly Father and we will see him again. Faithful servant, husband, father, grandpa, brother, and tio Salito - you are loved and already missed.
Published in El Paso Times from January 13 to January 25, 2013