Richard Lee Morris

Richard Lee Morris (or just Rick, as you probably knew him), age 72, died on June 16, 2021, at the VA Medical Center in Atlanta, GA. He was preceded in death by his parents, Albert Carson ‘Bert’ Morris, Jr. and Marjorie Lee Morris, and brother, Stephen Bruce Morris. He is survived by his children Toni Morris Vrooman, Amanda Lee Nordstrom, Jonathan Andrew ‘Drew’ Morris, Shelley Morris Arnold, 10 grandchildren, and Ruby, his 4 legged companion.

He lived a life dedicated to the service of others and to causes bigger than himself. He served his country, enlisting in the Army during the Vietnam War. He continued to serve his community upon his return spending 24 years with the DeKalb County Police Department. He was always more concerned with what you were going through, willing and ready to lend a hand, than his own struggles.

He loved travel and sightseeing. His younger days are filled with stories of motorcycle trips throughout the south that eventually give way to tall tale fishing stories. He and Neale always maintained that the truth should never get in the way of a good story.

If it was outside, he loved it. Fishing, hunting, skiing, hiking, camping, snorkeling, even just driving through it filled him with joy and appreciation of nature and the God who created it. He especially loved his trips to Steinhatchee, Nebraska, and Yellowstone, where he created some of his fondest memories and, coincidentally, some of his tallest of tales.

In all of his travels, he never met a stranger and never found a chair, bench, log, or rock that he couldn’t fall asleep on. More than once he found himself waking up alone at a restaurant or minor league baseball game, wondering how long the light had been green, or even eye-to-eye with a massive buffalo trying to figure out what the heck he was doing there.

He was punctual, maybe to a fault. “If you’re not 10 minutes early, you’re late.” Sometimes his 10 minutes was closer to an hour. You just never know with Atlanta traffic. I think it just meant he got an extra nap in. He was dedicated, not to perfection, but to the pursuit of it. There’s always something to learn or some way to improve. Learning was a lifelong process.

He lived his life for others, seeking happiness for them over himself. He was dependable, loyal, loving, and passionate. He always did the best he could with what he had saying, “If there’s something worth doing, it’s worth doing right and worth doing right the first time.” His legacy will be one of faith, family, integrity, love, and appreciation for God’s creation.

A celebration of life will be held at the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center Banquet Hall from 2:00-4:00 PM on Saturday, July 24, with a brief, casual service beginning at 3:30 PM. As he always said, “Jeans and a t-shirt are perfect. Wear a polo if you want to feel fancy.”

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages you to donate to the preservation of Yellowstone National Park, Operation Enduring Warrior, or the American Cancer Society.

Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center

543 Elliott Trail

Mansfield, GA 30055

Yellowstone National Park

https://www.yellowstone.org/

Operation Enduring Warrior

https://www.enduringwarrior.org/

American Cancer Society

https://www.cancer.org/