GEORGE MORRIS

George Morris, age 95, of Maple Park, proud veteran, loving father grandfather and great-grandfather joined his wife Eileen on Tuesday, February 27, so they both could walk through the halls of Heaven together. He was born September 5, 1928, in Salisbury, MD, to Albert and Mildred Morris.

George was born on a family farm in a house his father and grandfather built.  He grew up with his grandparents, aunts and uncles nearby.  Here he learned his love for animals and hard work. He played tag on horseback with his friends.   He spent his summers working at hotels, and soda shops in Ocean City Maryland.  He would row his row boat across the bay to get there on a nice day.  He was remembered by his Highschool class mates for his Car, playing football, and hanging at the Cliffs.

After graduating from high school, he took advantage of a 2-year football scholarship to a military academy. He had a strong work ethic, but not in the classroom.   But George, he had a plan. If football was fun, jumping out of planes was better, so off to the Army he went, hellbent on being a paratrooper. Just as his three-year stint was over, the Korean War began, so another year in uniform saw him as a Jump Master and Staff Sergeant Instructor in the 11^th Airborne Division. George made 50-60 jumps before returning to civilian life after an honorable discharge, settling back home in Maryland working odd jobs. The market being thin he headed west to take a job and train for putting out forest fires.   As destiny had it he only had enough money to make it to Chicago.  He enrolled in DeVry Technical Institute on the GI bill. George went to school during the day and worked at night, living with 5 other students until fate stepped in.   George and fellow DeVry students found an apartment above a garage owned by Mabel Frank. There was only one rule: Don’t mess with Mabel’s daughter Eileen.   It didn’t take long for George to win over Mable and visa verse as Mable lured him in with her baking skills George became indispensable, taking on projects throughout the house.  In less than a year George asked for Eileen’s hand in Marriage.

A whirlwind courtship landed George and Eileen Frank at the altar on May 21, 1955, after which followed a night to remember. Supported by a backdrop of a five-piece band, Eileen and George danced to the beat and instead of following the tradition of the time, where the bride and groom left the reception after the first dance, they stayed and danced the night away.

An active and eternally proud member of the Elburn American Legion, Post 630, he had the honor of serving as commander participating in parade, funerals and fundraisers.  George was very active in the Eagle scouts and would go to the schools every Veterans Day representing the American Legion George also faithfully attended Grace Lutheran Church in Lily Lake for many years. George took pride in being a member of the 511^th paratroopers association and attended several conferences over the years with Eileen and at times daughters and grandchildren. 

There was no “quit” in George, and he proved it day in and day out. He never read a book or sat in front of the television, often saying that if he did, there was “something wrong with him”. He lived his life as if he had no “expiration date” and his family called him their fearless leader. He was all that and more. All you needed to do was look into his eyes and you could see endless courage, strength, wisdom, and a tenacity that would bring him past every obstacle he ever encountered. George, Eileen, and their children, not to mention a menagerie of friends over the years, would lay tracks all across the lower 48, up to Canada and took in the vistas of Alaska as well. George loved to ski, and he taught his daughters and grandchildren and many friends the joys of the slopes anywhere there was snow. When the snow melted, boating became the prescribed pastime tugging their boat behind across miles of concrete only to settle in languid waters ripe for aquatic escapades full of laughter. Later, international travel took George and Eileen to Europe where they were able to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of D-Day, lazily watch the banks of the Seine River as it passed them by and make memories with every twist and turn of their itinerary. As the years passed you would think that George would slow down, but he was always planning and dreaming up projects. He even jumped out of a perfectly good plane in his 80’s proving that courage knows no age. He lived his life to the fullest and gave his family, including two pups Annie and Molly, every ounce of love he had he was their rock and fearless leader. George left a body that was worn out by his everlasting soul, a soul that will be remembered for generations.

He now leaves three children: Randi Morris, Christine (Bruce) Voight and Cathy (John) Floro; 9 grandchildren: Stacie (Christopher) Savittieri, Jeffery (Sylwia) Milostan, Hannah (Dan Flores) Milostan, Lierin (Jason) Friedmann, Trevor (Emilia) Voight, Dominic Floro, Frank (Mary Kate Rosenfelder) Floro, John (Brianna Cianci) Floro and Jake Floro; 10 great-grandchildren: Fiona, Kinzer, Kuiper, Summer, Brody, Nadia, Evey, Linnea, Adeline, and Gianna; one sister Dorothy Bransford; one niece, one nephew and a family of friends.

He is now reunited with his loving wife Eileen, his parents, Albert and Mildred Morris;  a sister Linda Morris and his niece Dawn who preceded him in death.

A memorial visitation will be held Saturday, March 30, 2024, at Grace Lutheran Church, 5N600 Hanson Rd., St. Charles (Lily Lake) 60175, from 1-3 p.m., followed by a funeral service at 3 p.m.. A memorial dinner will be held in the lower level of the church immediately following the service. Private family interment will follow at a later date.

 In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Grace Lutheran Church, 5N600 Hanson Rd, St. Charles, IL 60175. Memories and tributes may be left on the Conley Funeral Home Facebook Page, or at www.conleycare.com.