Lt. Col. (Ret.) Robert L. Morris

Lt. Col. (ret.) Robert L. Morris, 87, of Mascoutah, IL, born March 7, 1921 in Fossil, OR, died Monday, Sept. 15, 2008 at his residence.


After over 30 years, he retired from the United States Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel. He was a graduate of University of Wyoming with a B.S. in Industrial Engineering and received a Masters in Computing Science from Texas A & M University. He was a veteran of three wars, WW II, Korea, and Vietnam. During WW II he flew supplies to China over the Himalayan Mountains. After the war he flew as a commercial pilot for the Alaskan Airlines and a crop duster for the Oregon Forestry Department spraying the trees on Mt. Hood. He was recalled back into the Air Force for the Korean War where he flew troops and supplies from Japan to Korea. He then decided to make the military a career. During Vietnam, he was a member of the 7th USAF Headquarters in Saigon. As he would say he “flew a desk”. After his military career, he was an Administrator at Belleville Area College. Later he went on to be an instructor at Belleville Area College. To his last days he was still an avid user of the computer – sending daily emails to friends and family. His passion was flying. He owned numerous planes in his lifetime. Besides having his pilot’s license, he had his A & P license which he used to rebuild several wrecked planes that he had bought. Since being grounded due to age and health matters he took up building and flying remote control planes. He was a member of the Belleville RC Club. He was a past Commander of the Mascoutah VFW. He was a member of Bethel United Methodist Church in Mascoutah, Illinois.


He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather who will be missed by all who had the pleasure to know him.


He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph C. and Dorothy M., nee Kennedy, Morris, four brothers, Leo, Richard, Ronald and Charles Morris, two sisters-in-law, Irene Betts and Virginia Morris and a brother-in-law David Martens.


He is survived by his wife, Marie D., nee Betts, Morris whom he married Feb. 6, 1945 in Wilmington, DE; a son, Robert L. (Sandra) Morris of Fairview Heights, IL; a daughter, Kathy A. (Thomas) Holdener of Belleville, IL; five grandchildren, Mendi (Michael) Valenti of Des Moines, IA, Joe Morris of Fairview Heights, IL, Chad (Lauren) Morris of Las Cruces, NM, Taran Holdener of Shiloh, IL and Tyler Holdener of Belleville, IL; a great-granddaughter, Chloe Morris; a sister, Patricia (Clarence) Bells of Bend, OR, sisters-in-law, Willie Morris of Forest Grove, OR and Ruth Ann Martens of New Castle, DE; two brothers-in-law, William Betts of Newark, DE and Ronald (Cecelia) Betts of Newark, DE.


Memorials may be made to Bethel United Methodist Church, Mascoutah, IL.


Visitation: Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008 at the Moll Funeral Home in Mascoutah, IL and Thursday Sept. 18 from 9 to 10 a.m. at the church.

Funeral: A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 18, 2008 at Bethel United Methodist Church in Mascoutah, IL with Pastor Jason Woolever officiating. Burial will be in Mascoutah City Cemetery