James Everette Morrison died on November 21, 2010, in Brownwood, Texas, at the age of 92.
Jim, as he was known to his friends, was born in Houston, Texas on September 24, 1918, the oldest son of William Augustus Morrison and Bessie Jane Daniels Morrison. He married Lillian Erlene Spencer, on May 8, 1937, and they lived in Houston where Jim worked at the paper mill, starting as an apprentice welder and working his way to the status of master welder. Jim and Erlene moved to Liberty, Texas in the mid-1940’s where Jim began building homes and rice farming.
While in Liberty, Jim was active in the Optimist Club, as a member of the Boy Scouts of America troop committee, coach of youth baseball and as a founder of the Liberty youth quarter midget racing program. Jim was an avid hunter and fisherman and, in the mid-1950’s he bought a ranch near Rocksprings, Texas where he subsequently moved his family. While there, Jim served on the Nueces Canyon school board. From there, Jim and Erlene moved to Kerrville, Texas, where he again built homes and began his real estate brokerage business.
In Kerrville, he was again active in the Boy Scouts of America as a troop committee member. Jim and Erlene retired in Kerrville, living on the Kerr-Bandera County line for a number of years until 1999, when they moved to San Saba County, near Richland Springs. Jim was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather and loved to tell stories about his life, his friends and his family. Jim was active until his death, continuing to hunt, fish, garden and work with his hands making wooden toys, boxes, crosses, stools and other things from native and reclaimed wood for his family and friends.
Jim is survived by his loving wife of 73 years, Erlene, his sons and daughters-in-law James S. and Sylvia Morrison of Austin, Texas, Patrick L. and Jane Morrison of Brownwood, Texas, Robert E. and Deanna Morrison of Heath, Texas and his “adopted son” Anthony Gaudiano of San Antonio, Texas. He is also survived by his grandchildren and their spouses: James Everette Morrison, II and his wife Beth Morrison of Cedar Park, Texas, Russell F. Morrison and his wife Catherine Cotman of Austin, Texas, Sean Morrison and his wife Jenifer Morrison of San Angelo, Texas, Don Morrison and his wife Nicole Morrison of Reno, Nevada, Sarah Carlson and her husband Shane Carlson of Carson City, Nevada, Susan Morrison of Carson City, Nevada, Jeanie Beck and her husband Rick Beck of Reno, Nevada, Nesha Smith and husband Jake Smith of Corpus Christi, Texas, Tony Berdinski of Libby, Montana, Robert Thompson Morrison of Chicago, Illinois, Samuel Everette Morrison and his wife Alicia Morrison of Lawrenceville, New Jersey, Crystal Hart Young and her husband Andy Young of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Coral Hart Abood and her husband TJ Abood of Louisville, Kentucky and Robert Coleman Morrison of Heath, Texas. Jim is also survived by his twenty-one great-grandchildren: Lucy Cotman Morrison, R. J. Cotman-Morrison, Katie Morrison, Noah Morrison, Jonas Morrison, Amanda Carlson, Adeline Carlson, Spencer Carlson, Jakob Carlson, Owen Carlson, Dennis Krueger, Lauren Krueger, Stephen Beck, Maddie Beck, McKenzie Beck, Matthew Smith, William Smith, Hudson Young, Avery Young, Keller Abood and Aspen Abood.
In lieu of flowers, donations in the name of James Everette Morrison may be made to Debt Free Ministries, 901 Cashew Lane, Cedar Park, Texas 78613 or a charity of your choice. A memorial service will be held on December 4, 2010, at 11:00 a.m., at the Spring Creek Church of Christ or, weather permitting, the Spring Creek Tabernacle, both located on FM 500, between San Saba and Richland Springs.
