Donald Clarence Morris March 6, 1936 - January 24, 2021

Donald Clarence Morris passed away quietly at his daughter’s home in New River, Arizona, on January 24, 2021. He was born March 6, 1936, in the small town of Kingwood, West Virginia, to Paul and Iona Morris; the third of four children: Bill, Alice, and his younger sister and childhood playmate, Nancy. He grew up listening on the radio to the Pittsburgh Pirates and Steelers. They were favorite sports teams for the next 80 some odd years.

In 1954, Don joined the United States Air Force. This decision was one of two life-changing decisions that would come to define his life. The Air Force took Don away from the picturesque vistas of the mountains of West Virginia to Lackland, in central Texas, for basic military training. He had the aptitude and coordination for hands-on engineering; and, after basic training, he served in the US Missile Command for 20 ensuing years. This took Donald Morris to Beale Air Force Base, just outside the small northern California city of Marysville. The Pentagon had placed Titan I missiles in the Sutter-Buttes Mountain Range, California; so while nominally stationed at Beale, the nuclear missile complex in the Sutter-Buttes was his actual work site.

While stationed at Beale, in 1962, he met Shirley Darlene Haase. His heart was pricked from the moment he saw her and he roped his future to hers, becoming “theirs.” They married on January 11, 1964. They would eventually have 7 children together: Becky, Donnie, Wila, Keith, Aaron, Michael and Jared.

With his family, he served his country at Beale, AFB; Vandenberg AFB (Lompoc), Davis-Monthan AFB (Tucson), Wheeler AFB (Honolulu), and Mt Hebo AF Station (Tillamook, Oregon). Without his family at his side, he also served Temporary Duty Assignments for up to a year or more at: Incirlik Air Base (Turkey), Ernest Harmon Air Base (Newfoundland/Labrador, Canada), and Thule Air Base (Greenland). Retiring from the USAF in 1976, Don became a “double dipper” when, after moving his family from Tillamook back to the Marysville area, he worked as a civil-servant at McClellan Air Force Base (north part of Sacramento). From the early 1980s until his retirement in the last of the 1990s, Don rose each morning at 0430, got ready for the day, met up with his ride-share partner, to be at work at 0700. During these years, he coached five of his children in baseball; sacrificing so many hours of sleep and rest in exchange for teaching basic skills, and passing on his love of baseball, to hundreds of boys and girls.

In the mid-1960s, Don and Shirley, and with only two children at the time, joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This second major life decision would affect, and still affects, and will continue to affect for time unforeseeable, Don’s family. Don and Shirley were sealed in the Mesa, Arizona Temple for time and all eternity in March of 1969. Don served in many capacities in the LDS Church. He was a counselor in a bishopric three times and served faithfully as a Bishop in both the Tillamook, Oregon Ward; and later, for the majority of the 1990s, the Marysville, California 1st Ward. Don had the unique gift of having an empathetic heart and being able to share genuine empathy with anyone, concerning any issue they may have been facing. He was willing to talk to anyone about the Gospel, or sports, or cars, or anything else. He made others feel important, their needs worthy of attention, and their help within his grasp.

He taught himself to be a decent mechanic; choosing to buy a book and teach himself, rather than pay someone else to do the work he felt he could, and should, do.

In February of 1986, the Yuba River burst its levee and Don and his family were evacuated to avoid the flood waters. Their small family home was destroyed by the rising and then sitting waters. Choosing to stay and rebuild, his fortitude and faith were only matched by his beloved Shirley. Not growing up in the Church, Don and Shirley decided they wanted their children to serve as missionaries. To help instill this desire in their children, the Morris Home became a defacto mission-home, in the field, for hundreds and hundreds of missionaries serving in the Sacramento, and later, Roseville, missions of the Church. Don and Shirley loved the missionaries, and their faith was rewarded by five of their children serving missions for the Church. One of the many missionaries (Paul Benincosa) serving in the Roseville, California Mission, found the Morris home a welcoming and good place; and would, a few short years later, marry into the family. Don Morris, born in a small town in West Virginia, would see his children and grandchildren serve as missionaries in Peru (x2), Kentucky, South Korea, Costa Rica, Houston, the Philippines, Argentina (x2), Spain and Kansas. More will follow.

Donald Clarence Morris is survived by his sister, Nancy; his children: Becky Adams (Alan), Donnie (Kara), Rachel Benincosa (Paul), Keith (Kerri), Aaron, Michael (Jackie) and Jared; 21 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren (more to follow).

From his marriage to Shirley, in January of 1964, until her passing on December 30, 2020, Don considered his top priority to care for his beloved wife. He joined his life to hers, in all ways. Her death on December 30, 2020, broke him, and he never recovered. The wait to be with her again, just 25 days long, was more than he could bear. And so, not born of weakness, but imbedded in his undying love for her, he willed himself to not face this life without her.

Dad, we are pained and saddened by this temporary separation. Our grief, sometimes seemingly inconsolable, is difficult to endure. Yet, this anguish of heart and spirit is lessened because we know, you taught us, families are forever. Our pain is balanced by your sweet and eternal reunion with your wife, partner and our mother, Shirley Darlene Morris. We will be a family. Forever.

Visitation for family and friends will be Monday, February 1, 2021, from 10:00 – 10:45 a.m. at Walker Funeral Home, 187 South Main Street, Spanish Fork, Utah 84660. Funeral Services will follow at the same location at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be at Spanish Fork City Cemetery, with military honors.