Bernard Morse

Bernard John Morse, 76, of Stilwell, KS, passed away peacefully at Menorah Hospital on June 30, 2013 surrounded by his loving family.

John was born in Lansing, Michigan on January 9, 1937, the third child of Bernard Charles and Oleva Mary (Dutcher) Morse. He grew up in Portland, MI where he attended St. Patrick School. He loved sports, playing high school varsity basketball and baseball and was the school's star pitcher. Pitching a no-hitter earned him an invitation to try out for the Detroit Tigers minor league, however he chose to attend Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, MI where he earned a BA degree in Business. At Aquinas he met and married his college sweetheart, Roxana Coale, on July 11, 1959. John served his country for six years in the Army National Guard of Michigan. During John's professional career, he enjoyed his work nationally in sales and management for 27 years with the Pillsbury Company. His work took him and his family to live and enjoy new environments in Detroit, MI, Johnstown, PA, Youngstown and Cleveland, OH, Minneapolis, MN, and finally to KS where he had resided for 35 years. After retiring from Pillsbury, he worked another 8 years for Walden & Sons where he continued in the food sales industry. After full retirement he volunteered at Blue Valley Middle School for several years.

John had a great passion for travel and his very successful career earned him several trips to Italy, Austria, Germany and Hong Kong, a Caribbean cruise, Hawaii, and many other states. His recent overseas trip was to Australia to visit his daughter and an Alaskan cruise two years ago. Throughout his life he continued his love of sports by playing golf around the country and also following many local sporting teams.

John was a very kind and compassionate man with a great sense of humor and a fun quirkiness that kept his family and friends laughing and smiling. Most mornings he would be up at the crack of dawn, singing and whistling away, getting ready to have morning coffee with "the boys", rarely missing a session with his friends.

John's greatest love in life was for his family which was his pride and joy. He had an enormous loving heart and always wanted to share stories about his family. He is survived by his beloved wife, Roxana; two daughters, Suzanne Marie Morse, and Diane Marie (John) Magers; and his granddaughter, Kalen Marie Magers. He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother and sister.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Aquinas College Alumni Fund, 1607 Robinson Road, S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49506 or to the Father Flohe Alumni Fund, St. Patrick's School, 140 Church St., Portland, MI 48875.