John Morrison

It is with deepest sorrow that the family of John Long Morrison announces his death on August
23, 2025. Surrounded by family and loved ones, he passed away peacefully at his Atlanta
home, Glenwoods, after a several-year-long battle with cancer.

Born on August 2, 1948, in Atlanta, John spent his childhood in Glenwood, Georgia, with his
father, JP Morrison, his mother Margaret Long Morrison, and two brothers, Patrick and Sandy. If
you haven't heard of Glenwood, you have probably heard of the bigger "city" nearby, Vidalia.
Yes, like the onions. Ironically, anyone who knew him knew how much he hated onions!
John always described a semi-feral childhood in Glenwood, building forts, swimming in hidden
water holes, and running away from snakes. As a teenager, he found purpose and direction in
playing sports like track and basketball. Basketball, in particular, became a lifetime passion for
John. No matter how many years passed, his family and friends always knew that if you couldn't
find him, he was at the basketball court.

After graduating from high school, John moved to Atlanta to pursue a business degree at the
Georgia Institute of Technology, although his college years were briefly interrupted by a two-
year stint in the Army. In true John Morrison fashion, even his Army years revolved around
being an athlete. He would often recall having the fastest mile during basic training and that he
played basketball for the Army while stationed in Korea. Unofficially coached by Mike
Krzyzewski (who later led Duke to 5 national championships), John perfected his basketball
skills, learned to speak Korean, and saw the world.

Having finished his military service, John returned to Georgia Tech to finish his degree. While
getting a head start in the Atlanta business world through HVAC and his new company,
Morrison-Newman Heating and Air, John married Ginger Yates and had three children: Virginia,
Luke, and Maggie. He taught his children about basketball, golf, business, and literature,
passing on the best of himself.

Proving that sometimes you have to wait for the greatest things in life, John eventually met and
married the love of his life, Alyse Lucas Corcoran. Their passionate love culminated in the
happiest of marriages, lasting over 3 decades. John's family also grew with three stepchildren:
Prescott, Noble, and Lucas. Alyse and John travelled the world together, but their favorite place
to visit was Botany Bay. This special island is off the coast of South Carolina, and they
enveloped themselves in the romance and magic of the sea air. They always drove the long
way, savouring their time together on the backroads of the Low Country (and maybe finding a
pick-up game along the way).

Still playing basketball whenever he found a good, impromptu street game, John loved his wife,
raised his children, and expanded his business, building his real-estate development and
management company, Morrison Properties, from almost nothing. He took some big risks in the
Atlanta real-estate market, investing and managing in neighborhoods that other developers
wouldn't touch. However, John had a gift for seeing potential, which made him a genius
businessman and respected community leader. His commitment to the development of areas
like the Old Fourth Ward culminated in the jewel of the Atlanta community, the Beltline.
John was not only a savvy businessman but a generous man. Giving back was important to
him, and his tenants will remember him being kind and charitable. John didn't believe in kicking
people out of their homes because they were having a bad month. Instead, he would rather
work with them and help them back on track.

The same values extended to John's employees. He was as loyal to them as they were to him
and was always there for them.

His charity expanded to other important causes, including cancer research and veteran
services. He and his wife also set up a scholarship endowment at his alma mater, Georgia
Tech, called the Alyse L. Corcoran and John L. Morrison Tech Promise Scholarship, a fund
specifically for low-income students from South Georgia, where he grew up. His generosity will
continue to offer young people the opportunity to earn their degree for years to come.
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Even though he could have retired, John insisted on continuing to work and staying active on
the basketball court. When he felt like he was slowing down, he joined a senior league. Of
course, he was promptly kicked out for throwing elbows. He always told his kids, "Work hard,
play hard," and lived by those standards until the day he died.

John leaves behind his wife, his children, seven grandchildren, business partners, basketball
buddies, and life-long friends who will always cherish his memories and share his stories.
Whether it was about love, basketball, or business, may we continue to treasure the lessons he
taught us all.

Graveside services will be held Thursday afternoon, September 4, 2025 at 3:00 at the Live Oak Cemetery in Walterboro. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to Emory Winship Cancer Institute.