Walter E. Morrison Jr.

1923 - 2016

Walter Ellis Morrison Jr. of Plymouth died peacefully at his home on the evening of June 8, 2016. His wife, Joan Ripley Morrison, predeceased him six years ago after a marriage of over 60 years. He leaves behind two sons, Walter E. Morrison III (Morry) and Scott B. Morrison; 10 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren. His son, Bruce Morrison predeceased him in 2006. Walter was the only son of the late Walter E. Morrison and Melissa Dokum of Braintree. He is survived by his sister, Elizabeth (Betty Ann) Kelly of Amherst. His younger sister, Nancy Morrison (also of Amherst) passed away several years ago. Walter will be remembered by many locals as an active Plymouth Town Meeting member, longtime Commissioner of the Plymouth Municipal Airport, and a founder and longtime director of the Six Ponds neighborhood association in South Plymouth. Earlier in his life, he was active in Rocklands municipality, serving on the Appeals Board, and in Hingham on the Electric Light Companys board of directors. In 2012, the Plymouth Airport Commission honored Walters 36 years of service by naming Gate 4 Morrison Gate. He enjoyed growing up in what-was-then rural Braintree and one summer, while visiting Bloody Pond, he met his future wife. He enlisted into the Army in 1942 to do his part in World War II, serving in the Chinese American Composite Wing 14th Air Corps. Stationed in Kunming and Karachi, he flew reconnaissance runs across the Burma Hump. He left the service in 1948 with a lifetime of memories. Upon returning home, he studied at Northeastern University in Boston and married Quincy-native Joan Ripley in 1949. He started his professional career at Armstrong Cork Company. He and Joan settled in Hingham to raise their family of three sons. He spent many years with the International Equipment Company (which became Damon Corporation) of Needham. The family bought Joans uncle Charles Reddings house on Bloody Pond, where they moved in 1972 to live full-time in Plymouth. He enjoyed sharing his sons interests, which included adventurous activities with the Boy Scouts of America, followed by his active support of their commercial businesses. Rarely idle, he continued working for his sons businesses, doing the bank-runs and assorted tasks, as well as keeping up with local politics. His early hobby was bee keeping, which he learnt from his father, as well as photography. He also loved dogs, and had a series of black labs, followed by his last pal, chocolate lab Charlie Brown. There will be a wake held Wednesday, June 15, 2016, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Davis Funeral & Cremation Home, 619 State Rd., Plymouth. Friends and colleagues are welcome to attend. As was his request, there will be a private graveside service for the immediate family at South Pond Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made on Walters behalf to the land preservation organization, Wildlands Trust, www.wildlandstrust.org, 774-343-5121. For online guest book and directions, visit www.cartmelldavis.com.