Morris Varian

Morris Franco Varian

Morris Franco Varian passed away after a long illness on Monday, January 27th 2019 in Siquijor, Philippines at the age of 79. Born in the Philippines, he moved to San Francisco with his family at age 5. Morris attended James Lick Jr. High and Balboa High School where he ran track and played soccer. He played for Club Teutonia in the city soccer league and later received an ROTC scholarship to Oregon State University where he graduated with a degree in Accounting.
He spent 4 years in the Air Force and backpacked with a friend through Europe, before settling down and raising a family in Concord CA.

While raising his 2 daughters, he enjoyed coaching youth soccer, attending swim meets, making pancake & bacon breakfasts on weekends, Superbowl Sunday, teaching the art of a well-articulated letter, almost daily visits with his mother, tracing family lineage back to the revolutionary war, family reunions with cousins, packing kids up for college, and sharing his detailed daydreams of a Robinson Crusoe-like adventure. After retiring from a long career in accounting, he happily gave up his daily BART commute and relocated to the quiet island of Siquijor, in the Visayas region of the Philippines.

For the past 20+ years, he has enjoyed the serene views of the South China Sea from his seaside cottage. The residents of his barangay, Cang-Alwang & Tongo, embraced him instantly. With his wife and son, he pursued many ventures such as farming, raising animals, and opening a cantina. Siquijor was a quiet paradise for him and he was proud to give tours to any family and friends who were adventurous enough to travel the 7000+ miles to visit.

Morris will be remembered for his laughter, love of reading, adventurous spirit, perseverance in spite of difficulty, creative problem solving, impassioned letter writing, silly pranks with children, thoughtful nature, and thousands of big and small acts of kindness and generosity.

He is survived by his children Angela, Skye, Dan; wife Epie, brother Jim, sisters Teri and Helen, grandchildren Mady, Gabriella, Justin, Sam and Joey, and a very large extended family here and in the Philippines. He is predeceased by parents Arthur and Maria, and brother Manuel. He greatly enjoyed the enduring 50 year friendship of Don Foster, his Sergeant from the Air Force, along with the late Ken Houp. He was grateful for his many caregivers, the Paalisbo family, and everyone who shared his life of adventure and good times.

An email from Morris ended with this peaceful message "I've lived a good life, I'm ready".

Services are being held in Siquijor and the Bay Area. Family and friends are invited to offer condolences at legacy.com.

In memory of Morris, please consider contributing to a memorial fund to support Balboa High School athletes - https://www.gofundme.com/support-balboa-high-school-athletics