Donald Lester McMorris 1919-2008

MCMORRIS, BUNCH, DEMUTH, JOHNSON, PAASCHE, LLIFF, DIETRICH, DANIEL, MCCRAE, KINGREDMAN, GJOVIG, RITTENBACH

Posted By: Curtis (email)
Date: 2/16/2010 at 12:25:04

DEATH NOTICE:

(The Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Iowa August 27, 2008)

McMORRIS, Donald Lester, 89, died Saturday, August 2, 2008, in Kansas City, Missouri. Memorial services were held Wednesday, August 6, at Country Club United Methodist Church, Kansas City, Missouri.

Obituary -

(The Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Iowa August 27, 2008)

DONALD LESTER McMORRIS ... Donal Lester McMorris passed away quietly at Claridge Court on Saturday, August 2, 2008. Don was born in Weldon, Iowa, to William Fred and Eliza Bunch McMorris on April 28, 1919. Don was the fourth of eight children in a traditional Iowa farm family and attended a one room schoolhouse until entering high school. In 1936, he graduated from Decatur High at the age of 17. He later attended Chillicothe Business College and graduated from there in 1941.

He served as First Lieutenant in the United States Army from 1942 until his discharge in 1946. After his service, he entered the university of Kansas and completed his Bachelor of Science degree in business in spring of 1948.

Don began his business career in 1948 as an Auditor Controller and later treasurer of Riss Inc. in 1954, he embarked on a thirty-year career with Yellow Freight System. He served as Controller, Vice President, Executive Vice President, and finally President of the company from 1968 until his retirement in 1984. For many years, he was known as a man of great integrity and strong character.

While president of Yellow Freight, he also served the industry as president of the Regulated Common Carriers for two years.

During the war years, he met and married Asenath Breece Evans, also known as June. Don and June enjoyed 47 years of marriage and were graced with three daughters, Asenath Marie, Sandra and Linda.

Don was again blessed in marriage to Mary Rupert Dietrich in 1992. Together they celebrated 16 years of marriage in March of this year.

Throughout his life, Don was active in many civic and social activities. He served on the board of Leawood National Bank, and the Vendo Company. His memberships included Country Club United Methodist church, Old Mission United Methodist Church, Society of Fellows, and Mission Hills Country Club.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, June; two brothers, Raymond and Paul, and one sister, Georgia.

He leaves to mourn his devoted wife Mary; his daughters and their families: A. Marie McMorris and her children, Hillary and Donald DeMuth, of Prairie Village; Sandra McMorris Johnson, husband Mark and their children, Paul and Sarah, and Sarah's husband, Daniel Paasche of Eugene, Oregon; and Linda McMorris Lliff and husband Christopher, and their children. David and wife Joanna, and Stephen, Andrew, and Evan Lliff, of Stillwell; and a great-grandson, Zack; his four step-children: Linda Dietrich Morris and husband Leighton, and their children, Claire, Chris and Kerry, of Melbourne, Australia; Jackie Dietrich Daniel and husband Binge, and children, Robert and Lauren, Fort Worth Texas; Jeanne Dietrich and husband John McCrae, and children, Alex and Nicole King of Gaithersburg, Maryland; and Don Dietrich and wife Christy, and their son, Will. Don also leaves four siblings: John McMorris of Independence, IA, Elizabeth Redman of Leon; two sisters-in-law: Helen McMorris of Kellerton and Helen Gjovig and husband Joe of Iowa City; many nieces and nephews.

Addition to Obituary of Donald McMorris -

(The Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Iowa September 3, 2008)

Two names were left out of the survivors of Donald McMorris. they were a sister, Dorothy Rittenbach of Jamestown, ND, and brother, Richard McMorris and wife Tippy of Overland Park, KS.