WILLIAM JOSEPH "BILL" MORRIS Jr.

WILLIAM "BILL" JOSEPH MORRIS JR.
November 16, 1949 - December 31, 2025
It is with a tremendous amount of love and sadness that we share the passing of William "Bill" Joseph Morris Jr.
Bill passed peacefully, surrounded by family and enveloped in love and gratitude, as he left us all too soon on the evening of December 31st.
Born on November 16, 1949, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Bill was the second eldest of five children to William Joseph and Sara Elizabeth Morris. At the age of two, following a tuberculosis scare, the family moved to Santa Fe, which would remain his home from that moment on.
After graduating from Santa Fe High School in 1967, Bill completed two combat tours in Vietnam, receiving two Army Commendation Medals, among several other awards for extraordinary performance within his company.
Returning to Santa Fe in 1969, he "went to work with a friend on Saturday to unload a semi of produce." From that day forward, the work became a passion. That passion became a dream, and in 1997, he opened Just The Best with his wife and partner, Jenny. That dream is now the legacy he leaves behind for his daughter, Stacy, and his son, Joshua.
Bill met the love of his life, Jenny, in the winter of 1980. Together they had two children, daughter Stacy and son Joshua. As their children grew, so did their desire to build a better life-building their successful business together, traveling the world side by side, and rescuing several beloved boxers over their shared 45 years of love and commitment. Knowing early on that forever wasn't long enough, their love will continue to remain… Forever and a Day.
Throughout his life, Bill never met a stranger who didn't become a friend. Whether "in the business," in line at the grocery store, sitting in the stands at his grandkids' sporting events, talking with the airport driver, the bank teller, or his beloved dog's vet, Bill always wanted to know you. He spoke to people like he'd known them for years and left them feeling just a little bit lighter than before.
After 25 years of being the man behind the day-to-day operations of Just The Best, Bill took a step back and found one last great love: cultivating a greenhouse and garden with his granddaughter Abby. Appropriately named Abby Road Farm, it was a nod to their endless love of both music and one another.
Bill-Billy, Baby, Dad, William, Papa, Grampa, and Pa-you will live on in all of us, always.
The husband who will always love you Forever and a Day.
The dad whose early-morning texts filled hearts with love, happiness, and hope.
Dr. Morris, who was never more than a phone call away and somehow always right.
The most reliable weatherman any of us will ever know.
The produce man who cared more about the person he was dealing with than the produce itself.
Billy, who couldn't go anywhere without running into an old friend.
Papa, who made time whenever and wherever it mattered-on the soccer field, basketball court, sunny track, or football sidelines.
Grampa, always present, patient, and proud.
And Pa, whose incredible bond, wisdom, friendship, and daily presence may truly be missed the most.
We will hold you close, keep your memory alive, and never forget to live each day as if it could be our last. A private celebration of life will be held later this year in the summer sun. As you continue to honor our beloved Bill, share a smile with the stranger next to you, hold your pup a little closer tonight, make a hell of a meal and plate it on a paper plate, and turn up the music just a little louder.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to your local food bank or shelter. Food security for those in need mattered deeply to Bill.
Bill is preceded in death by his parents, William and Sara Morris; his youngest brother, Tim Morris; and his nephew, Justin Rodarte.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Jennifer Morris, and their sweet Gabby Girl; their children, daughter Stacy Wilson (CJ), granddaughter Abbygayle Myers; and son Joshua Morris (Tayler), granddaughter Danica Morris. He is also survived by his daughter Amy Fairchild (Brian); grandsons Isaiah and Aiden Fairchild; and granddaughter Luciana Fairchild. He is further survived by his siblings Floyd Roberts, Patricia Morris, Gail Gonzales, and Pancho Morris, as well as his nephew Jason Rodarte (Michelle) and their three sons, Sloan, Chandler, and Luca Rodarte.