David Gerald Morris
Dec. 27, 1946 - Dec. 3, 2019
FRUITLAND
David Gerald Morris was born December 27, 1946, in Council, Idaho to Harlan and Hazel Blanche Lee Morris. He passed away of natural causes December 3, 2019, at his home in Fruitland.
As the youngest of six children, Dad joined brothers Bruce and Blaine, along with sisters, Lillian, Barbara, and Shirley at their home near the Mesa Orchards. When Dad was about two years old, they moved to Addy, Washington where they lived for a couple of years, before returning to Idaho and settling in the Brownlee area. Dad had many fond memories of those years at Brownlee.
In 1956, the family moved into Payette and Dad met two neighbor boys who would become his life-long friends, Tuffy Abraham and Ralph Elliot. Together, they roamed the streets, alleyways and Clay Peak area of Payette and enjoyed the occasional Saturday matinee of the latest western at the downtown theater.
It was through Tuffy, that Dad met Toots Toll, a Fruitland girl. In 1965, Dad enlisted in the United States Army and served for three years, including one tour in Vietnam. Upon his return from Vietnam, Mom and Dad were married in Payette on July 8, 1967, and then moved to Tacoma, Washington, while Dad was stationed at Fort Lewis. After his discharge from the service, they returned to Fruitland and except for a short period on the Oregon coast, they have lived in Fruitland ever since.
Dad worked for Champion Motor Homes, the City of Fruitland, and Trio Construction before beginning to work as a carpenter in 1983. Several years later, he began working for Ames Construction and worked on many mining projects, dams, and roadways throughout Nevada, Utah, and Montana. In March of 1994, Dad was chosen to be a member of Ames’ first international crew and was sent to help open a gold mine in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Dad retired from Ames in 2006.
He was known by many titles in his life, including son, brother, uncle, and husband, but his favorite was Papa. He was blessed with five grandchildren but would have been much happier with fifty.
Dad taught us how to live, work, laugh, and most importantly, how to love.
He is survived by his wife of fifty-two years, brother Bruce of Payette, sister Shirley White of Payette, daughter Kim of Payette, son Bill (Susan) of Payette, and his grandkids, Amanda, Alexis, Johndavid, Ben, and Calvin. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Blaine, sisters Lillian Ratcliff and Barbara Laughlin. He was also preceded in death by his in-laws, Bill and Ruth Toll, who he loved as his own.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to The Idaho Peace Officers Memorial, 700 S. Stratford Drive, Meridian, Id, 83642, in honor of his beloved niece, Linda Laughlin Huff.
A Celebration of Life for friends and family will be held in the spring.
