Gary F. Morse
December 10, 1937 ~ December 3, 2024
Born in:
Los Angeles, California
Resided in:
Fremont, California
Gary Frederick Morse, beloved husband, father, Papa, and friend, passed away on December 3, 2024, at his Fremont home with his wife and three sons at his bedside. Born in Los Angeles, California, December 10, 1937, and raised in Burbank, California by loving parents Fred Clellan and Lucile Marie Sophie Morse, Gary was a caring and giving presence for almost 87 wonderful years.
Serving 8 years as First-Class Petty Officer in the U.S. Naval Reserves and graduating in Farm Management from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Gary got his start at San Jose Production Credit Association where he met Merna while she was working for her father over summer break from Cal Berkeley. Gary completed his master’s degree in education from San Jose State University in 1972. His 35 years teaching elementary and middle school students in Fremont’s Unified School District was inspired after observing classrooms at the school of his future mother-in-law, Hazel Vollé. His legacy as a kind, guiding educator positively influenced and is remembered by many former students.
Gary’s love for his family and contributions to his church and community defined his life. He was a source of thoughtful planning, education, and service to others – always willing to lend a helping hand. Gary devoted many hours volunteering to support his community. His retirement in 1998 allowed him to pursue his love of boating and fishing the San Francisco Bay and many of California’s beautiful lakes and coastline. Gary was a dedicated member of the First United Methodist Church in Fremont where he served in many capacities over many decades as a trustee, fellowship layperson, men’s group leader, and groundskeeper where he enjoyed tending to the church by mowing the large fields and pruning the gardens and trees. Gary most recently helped establish a fellowship ping-pong group that setup a new space for friendly competition and fellowship that continues today.
Gary and his loving his wife, Merna, celebrated their 61st anniversary in August 2024. Together they built a loving family. He is survived by Merna and his three sons: Matthew Morse of Fremont, Mark and Danielle Morse of El Dorado Hills, and Merrin and Lisa Morse of Millbrae. Gary was a devoted grandfather to Sophia, Brody, Nolan and Carson Morse. Gary was brother to Fred and wife, Christie Morse of NC, and sister Michael Linda Thomas of KS and her late husband, Donald Thomas.
Family and friends are invited to celebrate Gary’s life at the First United Methodist Church at 11:00 am on Saturday, February 15, 2025, at 2950 Washington Blvd., in Fremont followed by a luncheon on site for guests to share memories and enjoy the company of friendship that Gary so enjoyed celebrating. A courtesy of an RSVP for the luncheon is requested and linked below. The service will also be live streamed virtually for those who cannot attend locally. He will be laid to rest at Oakhill Memorial Park, San Jose. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in his memory to the American Red Cross for families displaced by California’s wildfires or a charity of your choosing in Gary’s name.
Gary will be deeply missed, but his love lives on in the hearts of family and friends, and his spirit will remain with us forever!
Give to American Red Cross: https://www.redcross.org/donate/donation.html
Family & Friends Luncheon: immediately following service at 12:00pm there will be a luncheon
RSVP for Luncheon: https://bit.ly/GaryMorseLuncheon
Zoom Link: https://bit.ly/GaryMorseCelebrationOfLife
Services
Memorial Service: February 15, 2025 11:00 am
Room: Church
First United Methodist Church
2950 Washington Blvd.
Fremont, CA 94539
510-490-2500
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I had always followed in Gary’s footsteps, a couple years behind. Long story short, he and Merna mentored me through to my bachelor’s degree at San Jose State and launched Christie and I into our 25-year adventure in the US Air Force. Gary and Merna and their family resided in the Bay area. Christie and I and our family lived and moved in the Air Force between bases is the eastern US and the Pacific (Okinawa – 2 tours, and Hawaii) and retired from the Air Force in Maryland and later, North Carolina. As a result, the relationship between the two families and my relationship with Gary had a major distance factor. As a result, it could be said we were not close.
The closeness that we enjoyed in our younger days (camping, fishing, enjoying the beach) came back very rapidly when we learned Gary had been placed in hospice care. Christie and I flew to California and spent four days reuniting with Gary and Merna. We were joined in this period by their sons Matthew, Mark (and his family), and Merrin (and his family). It was a time of rich, mutual expressions of love, care, and concern for each other and the circumstances of Gary’s hospice care. Gary had lost his voice, but we enjoyed one very good day with him. We were able to communicate with him and get outside their home on the cul de sac with Gary in his wheelchair. It was one of those grand California bright sunshine, late fall, early winter days. The air was fresh and clean, and Gary was smiling a lot.
Then there were the times of being quiet at Gary’s bedside while he rested. Sometimes, waking to be with us briefly and then back to his rest. He passed shortly before our plane left for our return home.
We love our brother, Gary, and miss him. His is a heart of loving kindness focused on the care and well-being of the others in his life beginning with Merna and their family. He extended himself to others through many years as a teacher in Fremont schools, a lifelong engagement with the fellowship of his church, and the fishing and boating excursions he enjoyed with us and his many friends. He leaves us a legacy of fondness for the goodness of his heart; an appreciation that warmly influences our own.
I knew Gary mainly through Merna, who was my roommate at the University of California, Berkeley, and Gary would visit. After I had moved to Denmark and married, we had several visits from various members of the family, the latest being by Gary and Merna in 2008, after we had retired to Berwick upon Tweed in England. We had a wonderful time, although at one point we were concerned that they had got “lost” due to a train misunderstanding. But they got found again! Our deepest sympathy to Merna, Matthew, Mark & Merrin and the rest of the family. With our very best wishes
Jane & Lars
Gary was one of the bright lights in life, when he sends a smile it is welcoming and lights up your day. He made his mark at FUMC in many ways looking after the landscaping and driving the John Deere…. and so many other things wherever he could help. Such a wonderful person full of kindness and positive energy… he will be missed, however he left a huge positive impression on the people who knew him.
Gordon and Kathie Perry
This is a sad time for me and all who knew wonderful Gary. My prayers to the whole Morse family and know that Gary’s goodness will be long remembered.
Patrick was fortunate to have Gary in his life for 65 years. They met at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Gary was his daughter Laurie’s godfather, Laurie and her brother David were Merna and Gary’s flower girl and ring bearer at their wedding. Patrick has memories of many fishing/camping trips in the Sierras and around the Bay Area. Gary came into Jane’s life in the 90s and Gary and Merna attended our wedding in 2002. We have shared many lovely times together including a memorable few days a few years ago in Mendocino County, one of the last times Patrick was able to travel. His memory is a blessing to us both. May his memory also be a blessing to the Morse Family and all who knew this kind and thoughtful man.
My link to Gary is through his wife, Merna. She did so much to help our oldest son, Bryan. I met Gary through the league and loved his wonderful smile. I know that family and friends will miss him greatly. I will plant a tree in his memory.