Obituary of Phillip Ray Morris

Philip Ray Morris was born January 15, 1937, in Fullerton, California. He joined the United States Marine Corps at age 17 the day after he graduated from high school. He met and married his wife Shirley in 1958 and was stationed in Hawaii when his daughters Kelly and Kody were born. Shirley died in 1972. Ray retired from the Marine Corps with the rank of Major in 1976 at the age of 42. He received a Masters Degree in Aviation Management in 1983 from Emery Riddle Aeronautical University. He met his second wife Adele in 1974, and they were happily married on May 25, 1984. Ray had a long and varied career after his retirement from the Marine Corps. He was a corporate security consultant, a ski instructor in Aspen, a model, and a happy house husband that supported his wife's career. Ray had a truly remarkable life. At the age of 14, he worked in a cannery and in the fields to help his family financially. He used his hard-earned money to pay off his father's Union dues that had lapsed so that his father could work to support the family. He proved that hard work and dedication were the best ways to change his situation in life. He started as a Private First Class in the United States Marine Corps and advanced all the way to Major, carrying a top-secret security clearance. He became an Alpine Survival Training instructor and was sent to the Alps. He was stationed not only throughout the United States and her territories such as Puerto Rico but also all over the world including Japan, and Italy. More importantly, Ray set an example of hard work and perseverance for his daughters and grandchildren. He was always there for anyone who needed advice or just needed someone to listen. He instilled a love of reading and learning into the people in his life. His great passion was history, but he always enjoyed a spirited debate about any subject. Ray was preceded in death by his first wife Shirley, granddaughter Bethany, grandson Andrew, and daughter Kelly. He passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his loved ones on August 31, 2019. He is survived by his wife Adele, daughter Kody, son-in-law Michael, and granddaughters Rachel, Chloe, and Holiday.