David Gordon Morrison
David Gordon Morrison, born in Amarillo, Texas on November 17, 1941, to JC and Lathelle Morrison, has moved from his Salt Lake City, Utah residence to an ethereal address, joining previously-deceased and well-loved family members and beloved pets. His peaceful crossing of the bar at his home in Salt Lake City on June 12, 2022 occurred in the presence of his dear wife of 43 years, Maureen Lahey Morrison, and his devoted children--Christopher Morrison of Provo, Utah and Hannah Morrison of Seattle, Washington. His passing came at the end of a lengthy and exhausting entanglement with Lewy body dementia punctuated by Parkinson’s disease.
David was fiercely devoted to family and country, believing that no matter the nation’s struggles he was privileged to live in the greatest place on earth. Born a Texan, he appreciated the relevance of boots, hat, and buckle, but eschewed line dancing, preferring instead large doses of anything Beethoven. His alma mater was Texas A&M where he was a member of the graduating class of 1964, Company E-2, Sul-Ross Group. There he was schooled as much by smart, driven, and intensely loyal classmates as by professors, and these associations resonated with him his entire life. Once launched from the A&M haven, he commanded Army post offices in Vietnam during his two tours of duty and came to admire and respect the humble, gentle, and hard-working people of Vietnam, in spite of the horrific conflict engulfing them. The effects of that war in which he so ably served dogged him to the end. After exiting the military and in his professional life as a stock broker, perhaps as a result of those tumultuous years, he catered to those down on their luck, taking in strays of both the two-legged and four-legged variety, convinced he could help them prevail over a temporary difficulty with enough of the right kind of help.
A lifelong eccentric, David was opinionated, blunt, and convinced that truth is identifiable and defensible. Some of his personal truths were that his children are exceptional human beings whose footprints left a remarkable legacy in his heart; that prayer is best when relevant and brief; that a wrong decision is preferable to no decision; that long conversations are satisfying provided he maintained control over them; that any history authored by Barbara Tuchman is worth staying up until 3:00 a.m. to consume; that God is present but is most easily found in the church vestibule with post-service coffee and donuts; that naps are important as are long walks with a favorite dog; that steamed vegetables should always trump Texas sheet cake, for obvious reasons; and, finally, that family is everything.
He is survived by his wife and two children as well as his brothers Bryan and Michael Morrison, and his sisters Rhea Nell Morrison and Mary Guinn. He is already sorely missed.
If you would like to honor a life well lived, David would have recommended that you listen to Beethoven’s 9th at high volume. In lieu of flowers gifts may be made to the Mayo Clinic for Alzheimer's and Dementia Research.
A viewing and celebration of David's life will be on Wednesday, June 29, 2022 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Starks Funeral Parlor, 3651 South 900 East, Salt Lake City. Guests are encouraged to park on the north side of the building. Funeral services will be on Thursday, June 30, 2022 at 11:00 am at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 261 South 900 East, Salt Lake City. David will be laid to rest following the service at the Salt Lake City Cemetery, 4th Avenue and "N" Street.
For those unable to attend the funeral service for David, it may be live streamed at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB-Vi-DgO3rb0t4RL6L59iA