Denton "Denny" Morse

Denton "Denny" Morse

Denton "Denny" Morse, age 83, died peacefully on January 31, 2021. Born to Burton and Myra Morse in Burlington, Vermont on December 1, 1937, he is survived by three children: Christy Getz (Jim Robins), Steve Getz (Samantha), and Rob Morse; and five grandchildren: Lauren, Eli, Maggie, Jackson, and Chase. He will be missed dearly by twin sister Dianne Eakin (Dave, deceased) and younger brother Steve Morse (Maggie). During his final year of life, he was blessed with the wonderful support of Steve and Maggie, his lovely caregiver Brittani Odie, and the dedicated nurses of Caris Hospice.

A four-sport letterman and accomplished student at Burlington High School, Denny went on to major in education at the University of Vermont, where he played basketball and captained the track team. He then earned his MBA and an engineering degree from the University of Kansas, where he met his first wife, Hilda Gibson. His first job at Exxon took them to New York City and then Caracas, Venezuela. After returning to the U.S. and settling in Houston, Texas, Denny married his second wife, Ellie Yager. He left Exxon in 1982 to teach computer science in the engineering magnet program at Booker T. Washington High School, where he also coached the swim and track teams and founded the school's renowned robotics team.

Denny was elected to the Houston Marathon Hall of Fame in 2013 in recognition of his decades of volunteer work for the marathon and within the Houston running community.

Near and dear to Denny's heart were annual trips back to New England, where gatherings with extended family in Ocean Point, Maine were highlighted by raucous croquet matches, lobster dinners, and late nights of Fictionary. These trips also afforded Denny the opportunity to visit his parents and childhood friends in Burlington.

Sports, games, and competition were an integral part of Denny's life, as he enjoyed playing tennis, basketball, golf, and ping pong, and running, even finishing the Boston Marathon. He also loved partaking in all types of puzzles and games, especially cribbage battles with his brother Steve.

Denny's endearing sense of humor and charm enabled him to turn strangers into friends wherever he went, whether at Dunkin Donuts, his weekly language meetups, or with the "ping pong crew" in Sun City, near Bluffton, S.C., where he moved to be near family.

Above all else, being around family and friends was what made life rich for Denny. He was able to enjoy his final years playing nightly card games after happy hour cocktails and dinner with Steve and Maggie. Buon Appetito, indeed!

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that tax-deductible donations be made in Denny's memory to Booker T. Washington's athletics and robotics programs (Tax ID 82-4195719), at https://tinyurl.com/dennymorse.