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MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly Jul '91
Robert Franklin Morris No.15571 Class of 1946
Died 4 November 1989 in Statesboro, Georgia, aged 65 years.
Interment: Eastside Cemetery, Statesboro, Georgia
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The term "Southern Gentleman" was coined
to describe men such as this. So were such adjectives as caring,
loving, honest, humble, loyal, fair, persistent, persuasive and
imaginative.
Robert Franklin Morris was born to Thaddeus James
and Eloise Franklin Morris in Statesboro, Georgia on 21 December
1923. In the years between that memorable date and the date he
was lost to this world, 4 November 1989, he lived a life truly
exemplary.
All of Robert's younger years were spent in Statesboro,
doing those things all young men did in small southern towns
those years between the wars. His activities ranged from boxing
to acting (best actor in the school district one year) to senior
class president. His leadership potential was recognized early
by the best of all possible judges, his peers.
Graduation from high school was followed by two
years at Georgia Southern College in Statesboro. With the darkening
of war clouds around the world, Robert expressed an interest
in the Army. Accepting that given, his parents wanted him then
to be the best possible soldier. To that end, he was entered
into Marion Military Institute, Marion, Alabama.
From Marion, Robert entered the Military Academy
on 1 July 1943 with the Class of 1946. There he was dubbed "Bob,"
the name to which he responded throughout the Army community.
As a cadet, he qualified as a hive, graduating in the top third
of the class. As was apparent throughout his life, Bob always
had time to help others, in this case those needing a few more
tenths from the Academic Department
Robert met Helen Doris Proctor, a southern belle
from the nearby town of Twin City, at a literary meet which took
place at a high school located near their two schools. Romance
blossomed and survived even the rigors of plebe year. To allow
as much time together as possible, Helen took employment at Grand
Central Station in New York City during that wonderful yearling
summer when the class took its military training at Popolopen.
She received her miniature at the Ring Hop and the two joined
hands permanently at the Cadet Chapel the day after graduation.
Robert chose Field Artillery as his branch and
thus spent his first year of active duty at Forts Sill and Bliss.
There, many lifelong friendships were established in facing with
other couples the rigors and complexities of lives as young Army
families.
Robert's first troop duty took him to Korea where
his assignments ranged from assistant battalion communications
officer to infantry platoon leader to firing battery commander.
January 1948 saw the beginning of stability at last, with assignment
to the 2nd Armored Division at Fort Hood. Here he served as a
firing battery executive for six months and then served as aide-de-camp
to two successive division commanders. It was here that Robert
and Helen's first child, Karen, was born. When the division moved
to "keep the Russians out of Western Europe" in June
1951, Robert asked for troop duty and was rewarded with command
of a firing battery in one of the direct support battalions.
When the Army integrated in 1951, the division artillery commander
gave to one of his battalion commanders the task of reorganizing
the 16th Armored Field Artillery Battalion. He was given carte
blanche in selecting his battery commanders and principal staff
officers. He chose Robert Morris to command Battery C. After
two years, Robert was hand picked again, this time to serve in
the office of the Secretary to the General Staff, Seventh Army.
Robert F., Jr. (Frank) was born in 1953 in Landstuhl, West Germany.
Upon their return to the US in 1954, Robert submitted
his resignation. With their daughter Karen and son Frank, he
and Helen returned to Statesboro where Robert joined his father's
wholesale grocery business. Their third child, Suzanne, was born
in nearby McRae, Georgia in 1959. Robert served in a variety
of positions in the company and, with the death of his father
in 1968, was named president. During his tenure with the company,
it grew from about 30 employees to over two hundred. Here, as
in the Army, Robert's first concern was for his people. He took
care of them and they took care of him.
While in the Army, Robert became interested in
oil painting and watercolors, and worked at improving his technique
in both until his death. He became interested also in astronomy,
studying it both in his books and with his telescope. For recreation
he enjoyed golfing, participating on a weekly basis with his
constant foursome. The family took annual vacations to the Atlantic
coast, the locale shifting from Jekyll Island, Georgia to Fripp
Island, South Carolina and, finally, to Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
Robert made maximum use of the 35 adult years allotted
to him in his beloved Statesboro. His services to that community
were wide ranging. He had served as chairman of the Administrative
Board of the First United Methodist Church, as a member of the
Board of Trustees, chairman of the Finance Committee and, most
recently, as chairman of the Building Committee. He also served
as a Sunday School teacher. He was a past president of the Chamber
of Commerce and of the Rotary Club, being named posthumously
"1989 Man of the Year" by the latter. He served also
on the Bulloch County Industrial Development Authority and the
Bulloch Memorial Hospital Foundation Board. Robert was a member
of the board of directors of the First Bulloch Bank & Trust
Company and, with the rest of his family, was an avid supporter
of the uniquely successful football program of Georgia Southern
College upon whose foundation board he served both as a member
and as an honorary member.
Robert thought through social, religious, economic
and political issues carefully and expressed his positions clearly,
objectively and persuasively. He never found it necessary to
resort to strong language. His congressmen and senators heard
from him regularly and came to respect him deeply.
It is interesting and instructive to note the similarities
among the many, many letters of condolence received by Robert's
family. They came from a congressman; from bankers, shipping
clerks, doctors, mechanics; from lawyers, churchmen, friends.
Robert always came through as a practicing Christian who put
others first, self last. He cared; he really cared. He did so
much for so many; was loved and respected by an entire community
and is missed by them all.
He is missed, too, by a loving family which includes
two younger brothers, Jimmy and Phil, who were partners in TJ
Morris Company, as well as Helen, Karen, Frank, Suzanne and seven
grandchildren.
Our literary inadequacies are exposed when we try
to record the real essence of the life of a dear comrade departed.
Perhaps it is enough in this remarkable West Point community
of ours to say that Robert loved the Military Academy and all
it stands for and that he truly lived Duty, Honor, Country.
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