Dr. Edward Villiers Morse

1943 - 2016

Dr. Edward Villiers Morse passed peacefully from this life on Thursday, October 27, 2016. A resident of Cashiers, North Carolina, Ed was born in Detroit, MI in 1943 to William and Madeline Morse. He is survived by his wife and lifelong partner Patricia Murray Morse, his sons, Nelson Morse of Alexandria, VA, and Brent Morse of Seattle, WA, his stepson Taylor Simon and stepdaughter Leigh Simon both of New Orleans, LA, daughters-in-law, Katherine Morse and Jody Simon and two precious grandsons Patrick and Alexander Morse. Dr Morse graduated from Michigan State University and received his PhD from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. For 35 years, he was a professor at Tulane University in New Orleans touching and influencing the lives of countless numbers of university students. He retired from Tulane in 2008 to Cashiers but returned to again serve as a professor at Western Carolina University in 2015. During his very productive professional career he conducted and published ground breaking research on HIV/AIDS and other high risk health behaviors and served as a consultant to government and business. In New Orleans, Ed worked tirelessly to support first responders experiencing trauma after Hurricane Katrina and continued this work with emergency personnel in Jackson County, North Carolina. Since becoming a full-time resident of Cashiers, Ed has been involved in numerous community volunteer efforts including the Fishes and Loaves Food Pantry, Meals on Wheels, and the Community Care Clinic of Highlands Cashiers. Most recently he served on the Boards of the Blue Ridge Free Dental Clinic, the Village Green, the Summit Charter School and the Rotary Club of Cashiers Valley. Ed loved his community and its people and could be seen in the Cashiers Christmas Parade riding the Fire Truck as Santa Claus, as the Lavender Tooth Fairy in support of the dental clinic and as the Easter Bunny on the Village Green. A memorial service and celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, November 5, 2016 at 11AM at Cashiers United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to one of the above organizations or to the charity of your choice. Bryant-Grant Funeral Home is serving the Morse family. Online condolences may be made at bryantgrantfuneralhome.com.