Jack H. Morse

MORSE - Jack H., died peacefully on Saturday, March 1, 2008, in Coronado, CA, surrounded by many family members. Jack was born on June 27, 1921 in Tulsa, OK, to Ben and Augusta ("Gussie") Moskowitz. He grew up in Tulsa, graduating from Central High School in 1938. He was a wrestler in high school, along with his dear younger brother, Frank David Moskowitz, with whom he was always very close. He attended the University of Oklahoma, where he was on the wrestling team and was a member of Pi Lambda Phi fraternity. He graduated from OU with a business degree in 1943. He then served in the U.S. Navy until the close of World War II, and was stationed at Eniwetok in the Marshall Islands. While in the Navy he learned Morse Code, and decided to take that shorter name after the war. On December 9, 1945, Jack married Vera Mann, the "most beautiful Jewish girl in Tulsa." Together they raised a family of four children: Gary Louis, Marilyn Ruth, Brent Jon, and Daniel Paul. Jack was always very active in his children's lives, coaching their baseball teams and introducing them to two of his own lifetime pleasures, tennis and bowling. Jack taught Sunday School at B'nai Emunah Synagogue for many years, and is fondly remembered by his former students. Jack was a longtime member of Temple Israel. Jack believed in the American Dream. For 35 years he was a commercial real estate salesman, and for much of that time he was associated in business with his brother Frank. Over his lifetime he owned a wide variety of businesses, including a 1 furniture store, a bowling alley, a hamburger stand, a car wash, a greeting card company, and a baby portrait business. He later sold vitamins and various other natural health products with passion and enthusiasm. Jack was the eternal optimist. He was loving and loyal to Vera throughout her 40-year struggle with multiple sclerosis, a future that neither of them had envisioned. Jack had some interesting talents, including the ability to recite the alphabet backwards without skipping a beat. Throughout his entire life, he could proudly recite all of the streets from his boyhood newspaper route, ranging from Archer to Zion. He was a member of MENSA. He loved to dance, especially the jitterbug. Jack looked forward to his high school reunions and managed to attend most of them over the years. In his later years, he always telephoned his friends and family members on their birthdays and wedding anniversaries, without fail. He kept a big book of names and dates and phone numbers, just for this purpose, and everyone looked forward to his phone calls. Family was very important to Jack, and he was so proud of all his children and grandchildren. He was able to see his five wonderful grandchildren grow up. They fondly remember doing many activities with him, such as going bowling and doing jigsaw puzzles, and getting expert advice and patient instruction in each. When it came to checkers and arm wrestling, none of them could ever beat Grandpa Jack! And he played very good bridge, a game at which his beloved older sister, Florence ("Whitey") Gottlieb - with whom he was always very close - also excels. For his 80th birthday, his children gave him a cruise through the Panama Canal - which he remembered from his Navy years - as a gift. On the cruise he met Irene Hoadley, who was to be his loving companion during his final years, and her daughter, Carole Sievers of Sebastopol, CA, who cared deeply for him as well. The family gratefully thanks Jack's loving and excellent caregivers Mila Aquino and Michelle Reyes from Salus Home Health Care in San Diego, CA. Surviving family members include his children, Gary (and Ellen) Morse of Seattle, WA; Marilyn (and Don) Weinhouse of Coronado, CA; Brent (and Julie) Morse of Denver, CO; and Danny Morse (Amy Bleich) of Annapolis, MD; and his grandchildren, Jessica Lauren Morse, Rachel Anne Weinhouse, Aaron Davis Morse, Bradley Joel Morse, and Rebecca Woods Morse. Also surviving are his sister, Florence ("Whitey") Gottlieb of St. Louis, MO; sister-in-law, Rita J. Moskowitz of Tulsa, OK; brother-in-law, Donald (and Sallye) Mann of Tulsa, OK; sister-in-law, Wilma (and Howard) Friedman of Encino, CA; aunt, Sylvia Wittie of Washington, DC; cousin, Franklyn (and Madelyn) Moskowitz of Tulsa, OK; and many other cousins, nieces and nephews and their children. He was predeceased by: his beloved wife; parents; and brother, Frank; and by his brother, Harold; and sister, Dorothy, both of whom died in childhood. The Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, March 5, at Temple Israel, 2004 E. 22nd Place, Tulsa, OK, with internment following in the old Congregation B'nai Emunah section of Rose Hill Cemetery. A minyan will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 5, at the Tulsa Jewish Retirement and Health Care Center, 2025 E. 71st St., Tulsa, OK 74136. In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to the Tulsa Jewish Retirement and Health Care Center, same address as above. The Fitzgerald Ivy Chapel, 585-1151. Jack H. Morse VIEW AND SIGN THE ONLINE GUEST BOOK: www.legacy.com/tulsaworld