Morris was born in Frederic, WI. Of Scandinavian-Germanic descent, Morris was a tall, strong, quiet man with green eyes and light brown hair. While he was a man of few words, to those who knew him well he was warm, kind, thoughtful, and had a great sense of humor. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in microbiology. While at school, he was in the ROTC and upon graduation he joined the Air Force as an officer. He was stationed in numerous bases in nine different states and served overseas in Korea, Okinawa, Vietnam, Thailand, and Germany. During his service, he led a Titan I bunker team near Mountain Home, Idaho, and was stationed at the HQ MACV J-2 Intelligence Directorate on Pasteur Street in Saigon during its massive growth during the American buildup. While through much of his career he was away from home on special assignments, no matter where he was, he would record himself reading stories and books on tape which he would then send home so that he was part of his children’s nightly bedtime readings. Growing up, his children cherished those nightly readings hearing their father’s calm, soothing voice which in its own way brought him home to them nightly, if even for only a little while.

Morris, a young, dashing Air Force officer was smitten quickly by Marceline, whom he married within a year of meeting. They were a very loving couple who raised their children while traveling around the world. They both instilled the importance of volunteer service with their children. Early on, Morris volunteered mentoring students and served in a number of officer positions with Kiwanis, while Marceline volunteered with the Red Cross and at geriatrics facilities. In their later years, as a couple, Morris and Marceline volunteered at state fish hatcheries for over 10 years.

Morris was a man of many talents. After the Air Force, he went back to school and obtained a Master’s degree and taught college students for a few years. He was an incredible cook and baker. He was an avid gardener and a successful bee keeper. He was a craftsman—he made furniture, grandfather clocks, and musical instruments. In 2012, he volunteered with his son-in-law to construct a full-scale Spruce Mill Tent platform, based on original plans, which is still displayed at Pearson Air Museum.

In addition to his wife of 64 years, and his parents, he was preceded in death by his ten brothers and sisters. He is survived by his children, Morris Jr., Tracy, and Daniel, and their spouses as well as three loving grandchildren. His family loved him very much and misses him tremendously.

Military Honors will be held at Vancouver Barracks National Cemetery at 11:00 AM on October 9, 2026. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Friends of Fort Vancouver National Historic Site or the Community Military Appreciation Committee.