Gary Claude Morris
March 7, 1937 –
He was born to Claude William Morris and Leora (Werhli) Morris on March 7, 1937, in Fairbury, NE, and in 1944 moved with the family to Clinton, Iowa.
He graduated Clinton High School, where he excelled in sports and swimming and was a national record holder in six events his senior year. His coach was prominent in the competitive swimming world, and Gary proved to be his most celebrated champion, leading Clinton High School to many state championships.
He was the recipient of many scholarship offers from prominent universities and chose Iowa to continue his career. There, he set Iowa U. records, three Big Ten records, national records and was 1958 NCAA Champion in 50 yard freestyle. As a result of his prominence in swimming, he was chosen “Iowa Sportswriters’ Athlete of the Year” in 1957 and inducted into the “Iowa University Swimming Hall of Fame” his senior year, 1959. Later, in 2008 he would have the great honor to be inducted into the “Iowa University ALL Varsity Sports Hall of Fame” along with all athletes in Iowa history and Big Ten prominence. His records are enshrined in the beautiful Athletic Hall of Fame Building, built on campus to recognize Iowa athletic greatness.
More importantly, Gary was a real “team” contributor and was willing to fill in wherever the coaches needed a body to swim and in whatever stroke, and he was recognized for that many times.
He married Marcia (McGovern) on March 30, 1959, just two days after his last college competition at the NCAA Swimming Finals at Cornell University. This was during the Easter break so their friends and his SAE Fraternity brothers could all gather before leaving the Iowa U. campus to pursue their careers.
He was commissioned from R.O.T.C. as 2nd Lieutenant and graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in 1960, then went to Ft. Benning, GA, for Army Officers’ Training School. His next honor was to be selected by the US Army Swim Team to train for the upcoming 1960 Summer Olympic Trials. Following that, he immediately accepted his first job as head swim coach in a large high school in Moline, IL . He enjoyed building a winning swim program but, more importantly, involving the community, mentoring students and developing a highly competitive force in Illinois athletics.
He earned his master’s degree at Indiana U in 1964-65 under the tutelage of Dr. James Counsilman, the current U.S. Olympic Swim Coach for the 1964 Summer Olympics, who had once studied Gary’s technique as a work product in attaining his physiology doctorate.
After much deliberation, Gary made the decision to enter Industrial Sales and only coach swimming on a volunteer basis so that his own family time was not dominated by coaching demands. He made a good decision and enjoyed getting back into competition himself in sales. After several stints with major companies, he was able to develop his own company in Moline as a distributorship for Republic Steel Co. and later sold other sports and gym equipment for Spalding Company. He loved meeting people, talking and selling and had a very positive outlook on life.
His interests were many, and he had been inspired by his high school coach to fish and hunt ducks on the Mississippi River.
He had a boat everywhere we lived in Iowa, in Illinois and in Florida and always enjoyed the challenge and “camaraderie” of fishing. It went right along with his positive attitude and that the “big one” was coming for the next hook!
Gary was very much a “people person” and enjoyed the company of others, whether at sporting events, golf clubs, skiing or our children’s sports events, and, especially, any Iowa athletic competition. He enjoyed going to many bowl games and many golfing trips abroad and in U.S., and we were able to travel and enjoy many good times with friends and family.
Gary was predeceased by his parents and son, Robb. He leaves his loving wife of 64 years, Marcia, and daughter, Mary (Terry) Rubley; grandsons, Tyler Rubley and Travis (Meaghan) Rubley; great-grandson, Tony Rubley; and granddaughter, Kaylee Morris, to survive him. He passed away at St. Joseph’s Hospital South surrounded by loving family.
A Celebration of Life will be held March 21 at 3 p.m. at United Methodist Church, 1971 Haverford Avenue, Sun City Center, FL. In lieu of flowers, any donations may be sent to Breakaway Ministry at United Methodist Church or to the SCC Emergency Squad.
He graduated Clinton High School, where he excelled in sports and swimming and was a national record holder in six events his senior year. His coach was prominent in the competitive swimming world, and Gary proved to be his most celebrated champion, leading Clinton High School to many state championships.
He was the recipient of many scholarship offers from prominent universities and chose Iowa to continue his career. There, he set Iowa U. records, three Big Ten records, national records and was 1958 NCAA Champion in 50 yard freestyle. As a result of his prominence in swimming, he was chosen “Iowa Sportswriters’ Athlete of the Year” in 1957 and inducted into the “Iowa University Swimming Hall of Fame” his senior year, 1959. Later, in 2008 he would have the great honor to be inducted into the “Iowa University ALL Varsity Sports Hall of Fame” along with all athletes in Iowa history and Big Ten prominence. His records are enshrined in the beautiful Athletic Hall of Fame Building, built on campus to recognize Iowa athletic greatness.
More importantly, Gary was a real “team” contributor and was willing to fill in wherever the coaches needed a body to swim and in whatever stroke, and he was recognized for that many times.
He married Marcia (McGovern) on March 30, 1959, just two days after his last college competition at the NCAA Swimming Finals at Cornell University. This was during the Easter break so their friends and his SAE Fraternity brothers could all gather before leaving the Iowa U. campus to pursue their careers.
He was commissioned from R.O.T.C. as 2nd Lieutenant and graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in 1960, then went to Ft. Benning, GA, for Army Officers’ Training School. His next honor was to be selected by the US Army Swim Team to train for the upcoming 1960 Summer Olympic Trials. Following that, he immediately accepted his first job as head swim coach in a large high school in Moline, IL . He enjoyed building a winning swim program but, more importantly, involving the community, mentoring students and developing a highly competitive force in Illinois athletics.
He earned his master’s degree at Indiana U in 1964-65 under the tutelage of Dr. James Counsilman, the current U.S. Olympic Swim Coach for the 1964 Summer Olympics, who had once studied Gary’s technique as a work product in attaining his physiology doctorate.
After much deliberation, Gary made the decision to enter Industrial Sales and only coach swimming on a volunteer basis so that his own family time was not dominated by coaching demands. He made a good decision and enjoyed getting back into competition himself in sales. After several stints with major companies, he was able to develop his own company in Moline as a distributorship for Republic Steel Co. and later sold other sports and gym equipment for Spalding Company. He loved meeting people, talking and selling and had a very positive outlook on life.
His interests were many, and he had been inspired by his high school coach to fish and hunt ducks on the Mississippi River.
He had a boat everywhere we lived in Iowa, in Illinois and in Florida and always enjoyed the challenge and “camaraderie” of fishing. It went right along with his positive attitude and that the “big one” was coming for the next hook!
Gary was very much a “people person” and enjoyed the company of others, whether at sporting events, golf clubs, skiing or our children’s sports events, and, especially, any Iowa athletic competition. He enjoyed going to many bowl games and many golfing trips abroad and in U.S., and we were able to travel and enjoy many good times with friends and family.
Gary was predeceased by his parents and son, Robb. He leaves his loving wife of 64 years, Marcia, and daughter, Mary (Terry) Rubley; grandsons, Tyler Rubley and Travis (Meaghan) Rubley; great-grandson, Tony Rubley; and granddaughter, Kaylee Morris, to survive him. He passed away at St. Joseph’s Hospital South surrounded by loving family.
A Celebration of Life will be held March 21 at 3 p.m. at United Methodist Church, 1971 Haverford Avenue, Sun City Center, FL. In lieu of flowers, any donations may be sent to Breakaway Ministry at United Methodist Church or to the SCC Emergency Squad.