Morrie Morrison died somewhat peacefully the morning of May 28th, 2008 in the intensive care unit in Salmon Arm. He was 83 years old.
Born in Manchester England October 19, 1924, Morrie lived in Canada from infancy. He was raised primarily by his paternal grandparents in Sudbury Ontario.
Morrie first learned the value of a dollar while managing his Sudbury paper route and scrubbing office floors at 50 cents a piece. He then began his life long career with the Royal Bank as an office boy at the age of 16.
Morrie served aboard the minesweeper H.M. C. S. Mulgrave during World War II and was discharged in Vancouver where saw the woman of his dreams, Agnes Sanderson, out on a dance floor. He married the beautiful and talented Agnes on the 6th of September, 1947 and attended the University of British Columbia where he graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce in 1950. Agnes gave Morrie the three children they hoped for: Glen, Margo, and Peter.
Morrie’s career with the Royal Bank spanned 44 years, with promotions taking him from Vancouver to Montreal, Ottawa, Sydney NS, and finally to Toronto where he retired in 1984 as a Senior Vice-President.
Upon retirement, Morrie and Agnes moved near to Agnes’ place of birth and built their dream home in the newly formed Shuswap Lake Estates.
It was the perfect place for Morrie to pursue his favourite pasttimes: fishing,golfing, camping, motorcycling, and of course, chairing committees.
A Lion’s member all his life, Morrie was very involved within the communities of Blind Bay, Sorrento and Salmon Arm. He became President of the Lions Club of Sorrento where he was instrumental in reviving the Sorrento Memorial Hall. He was also active in the Shuswap Lake Foundation and ran the fund-raising campaign for the local BC Cancer Foundation.
A staunch Conservative, Morrie was also active within the Conservative Party. In keeping with his banking prowess, Morrie managed the Sunday collections at St. Mary’s Church for many years.
Morrie is survived by Agnes, his loving wife of over 60 years, his children, Glen, Margo and Peter, his daughters-in-law, Sandra and Phoebe, son-in-law Keith O’Leary, grand children Jennifer, Jonathan, Shea, Ananda, Cassie, and Christopher and Matt O’Leary, and by the cats Mart and Tini, appropriately named after his favourite libation.
Morrie will be greatly missed by his family, friends and those he supported. He was the kind of man whose presence will not be forgotten once met and who knew how to take charge and get things done.
Services will be held at 1:00 pm on Thursday, June 5th, 2008 at St. Mary’s Church in Sorrento, BC, followed by a Celebration of Life Reception at the Sorrento Memorial Hall directly across the highway.
It is suggested that parking would be much simpler if guests that are able parked at the Sorrento Hall and walked across to the church.
Arrangements entrusted to FISCHER’S FUNERAL SERVICES & CREMATORIUM LTD., Salmon Arm, (250) 833-1129, fischers@sunwave.net.