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In Memory

Richard Paul "Moe" Morrison - Class Of 1945 VIEW PROFILE

Richard Paul Moe Morrison

    

Richard P. "Moe" Morrison

December 17, 1926     -     January 27, 2013

SOUTH BEND - Richard P. "Moe" Morrison, 86, of South Bend, IN passed away at 6:15 a.m. Sunday, January 27, 2013 in Southfield Village Health Care.  He was born on December 17, 1926 to the late F. Paul and Hazel (Conn) Morrison.  On December 27, 1947 he married Betty J. Rodgers, his loving wife of sixty-five years.

Richard is survived by his wife, Betty; his daughter, Terrie (Roy) Linn of Whitmer Lake, Wolcottville, IN; sons, Richard  (Ann) Morrison II of Mesquite, NV and Michael D. (Debra) Morrison of Houston, TX.  He is also survived by his brother, Frank (Delores) Morrison of Warren, OH; sister-in-law,  Donna (George) Legan of Port Charlotte, FL; "special" niece, Vicky Rodgers of Mishawaka, IN, niece, Lee Ann (Gerald) Shaffer of West Farmington, OH; three grandsons, Chad Morrison of South Bend, IN, Connor Morrison of Houston, TX and Jeremy Linn of Wolcottville, IN; one granddaughter, Caitlin Morrison of Houston, TX; a great granddaughter, Brittany Linn of Wolcottville, IN and a cousin, Pat (Ted) Saurback of Granger, IN.

Richard went to Studebaker School and Riley High School.  He was a eagle scout, a football, basketball and baseball player at Riley.  He was drafted out of high school on Feb. 14, 1945, when he played on the basketball team that went to the state finals and was defeated by Bosse in the final game.  He served most of his time in World War II in Oahu,  Hawaii.  He graduated in 1950 from Franklin College where he served as Captain of the football team for three years and was voted most valuable player.  He received a letter of intent from the Baltimore Colts.  He received his Masters Degree from the University of Notre Dame.

Richard started teaching and coaching football, basketball and baseball at Riley High School in 1950.  He served in several  capacities in the South Bend Community School System over twenty years.  He went to the Elkhart Area Career Center as the assistant program director.  After serving at the center for nineteen years, he retired in 1989 as the Elkhart Area Career Center Program Director.  He received an honorary official trophy for football and basketball from 1953-1970.  He was on the Riley High School Hall of Fame as well as Franklin College Hall of Fame.

Richard was a member of the John Dame Society, Franklin College 2007. An alumni Citation to Franklin College in 2000 and received a trophy as a member of South Bend Recreation Commission 1994-1995.  He was President of the South Bend School Board in 1997, President of Indiana Vocational Association 1976-1977, was secretary of the St. Joseph County Fairgrounds for ten years and President and lifetime member of Kiwanis.   He taught Sunday School at Grace United Methodist Church, was a member of the Elks Lodge #235 and served as M.C. of the couples golf league where he loved to present "trophies" and give rewards to "special" golfers.

He served as President of the St. Joseph County Parks when the Freedom Monument "Standing Tall" was presented  to the St. Joseph County Parks at St. Pat's Park.  The sculpture was the dream of Howard Goodhew, and Robert Kuntz was the sculptor.  The memorial with the beam from the Twin Towers in New York was picked up by Rodeway Trucking's generosity because of the Community efforts and so many people who wanted to be involved the present and future visitors to St. Pat's Park will be reminded and encouraged to preserve freedom and green space essential to our quality of life.

Richard was a devoted and loving husband and father to his children. We will miss his zest for life, "fun times" and value the memories he leaves with us.

A Celebration of his life will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, February 2, 2013 at Grace United Methodist Church, 3012 S. Twyckenham Drive, South Bend, IN.  The family will received friends from 9:30 a.m. till the time of the service.  Private graveside services will be held at Southlawn Cemetery, South Bend.  Palmer Funeral Home-Guisinger Chapel and Southlawn Cremation Services, South Bend are assisting the family.

In lieu of flowers, the family wishes for memorial contributions to be made to The Center for Hospice Care, 111 Sunnybrook Ct. South Bend, IN 46637 or Grace United Methodist Church, 3012 S. Twyckenham Drive, South Bend, IN 46614 or to Autism Society, P.O. Box 134, New Carlisle, IN 46522.

03.25.2021 djb

https://www.palmerfuneralhomes.com/obituary/Richard-Morrison



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