Harry C. Morse

September 26, 1930 – February 23, 2016

Harry C. Morse, 85, a resident of Moses Lake, passed away in his sleep in the early morning of Feb. 23, 2016. He was hospitalized on Feb. 7 and was taken quickly by the many complications associated with cancer. During this time he was surrounded by many of his three generations of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Harry was born on Sept. 26, 1930 in Terry, Mont. to James Leonard and Lorna (Ross) Morse. After several years in Terry his family moved to Wisconsin to rejoin the Morse family farming work near Nekoosa. His family would then settle in Washington where he would complete his public schooling.

Harry enlisted in the US Marine Corps in 1950, and was honorably discharged in December 1952 after suffering a disabling injury earlier that year. His assignments included that of aircraft mechanic, stationed in California. In June of 1953 he married June Miller in Seattle, and together bore four children, two daughters and two sons. They would divorce in 1968, the children to be raised by Harry. He worked for the US Postal Service, and was a supervisor at the Sea-Tac airport operation.

In December 1971 Harry became the Assistant Postmaster in Moses Lake, Wash. He moved there with his three youngest children. He became active in community organizations including the Lions, Eagles, VFW and American Legion. In July 1973 he married Audrey Ludtke, where his family grew with three stepsons, the youngest to join the family home.

Harry was also actively engaged in gardening, woodworking and carving, and enjoyed his love of poetry and old-time country music. After Audrey’s death in 1999 he began spending summer months in Terry, Mont. He would visit family relatives, including Aunt “Tommy,” Lenore (Kampf) Bunch. When Tommy entered the assisted living facility Harry purchased the old house built by her father in 1907, also Tommy’s birth year. Tommy passed away in 2008 at the age of 101. While in Terry, Harry would enter home-canning items in the Prairie County Fair including his favorite, chokecherry jelly.

Harry is survived by brother Ralph Morse and sisters Ardeena Pheasant and Theo Luxner. He is also survived by children Lynn Heilman, Terry Morse, Jenny Morse, and Bill Morse; stepsons Tom Sigerstad, Ron and Bob Ludtke, and his many loved grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

A celebration of Harry’s life will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, March 5, 2016 at Kayser’s Chapel of Memories. Please sign the online guestbook or leave a note for the family at www.kayserschapel.com. Arrangements are in care of Kayser’s Chapel of Memories.