David Carroll Morris

David Carroll Morris, 84, a resident of Carterville, Illinois, died Wednesday, Nov. 8, at Memorial Hospital in Carbondale, Illinois, of injuries incurred in a Nov. 3 traffic accident.

Born July 18, 1939, at Aaron's Fork, West Virginia, the third son of Charles Sennett and Mary Elizabeth Morris. David first distinguished himself as an honors high school student and athlete before moving on to earn his bachelor's degree from Morris Harvey College (now the University of Charleston) and his master's degree from Penn State University.  He and his late wife, Anna, both avid fans of Penn State football, established ongoing scholarships at both schools.

Following his studies at Penn State, David joined the state government in Illinois and was principally employed until his retirement in the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs. In that capacity, he also served as a member of the Lower Mississippi Delta Development Commission under the chairmanship of then Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton, whom, he was fond of recalling, he'd once given a ride to the local airport..

A lover of travel—his favorite song was the 1949 pop hit, “Far Away Places”--he and his wife toured much of the world in their middle and later years, often taking his mother along with them.  He was, at heart, a Depression-era farm boy, always fretting if there was enough food in the cupboard and enough wood chopped to keep the cook stove hot.

A part of David's farm boy makeup was early rising, and after his wife's death in 2020, his chief amusement was getting up as early as 2 or 3 in the morning and meeting with old friends for breakfast, even when that required driving for dozens of miles and waiting in the parking lot for the restaurant lights to come on.

In addition to his wife, David was preceded in death by his parents, his oldest brother, Darrell Morris (Imogene), sister-in-law Norma Morris and nephews Michael Morris and Christopher Morris. His survivors include brothers Edward Morris and Roger Morris (Ella), nieces Erin Huttlinger and Rachel Serrato and nephews Jason Morris and Mark Morris. Mourning his passing as well are two of the legion of cats he and Anna rescued and cherished during their 57-year marriage.

Burial arrangements are under the direction of Riggin-Pillatsch & Burke Funeral Home in Carterville and Wilcoxen Funeral Home in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, where the interment will take place. Services will be private. For more information, visit rigginpillatschburkefh.com.

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