MORRISON, Richard Oliver

MORRISON, DANIEL, GEHRINGER

Posted By: Debbie Mehaffy (email)
Date: 3/3/2012 at 15:01:10

Richard Oliver Morrison was a lifelong citizen of Des Moines County, Iowa except for the 29 months that he was a prisoner of war during his military service in Korea.

Dick, as he was known to family and friends, was the son of George Henry and Dorothy Elizabeth Daniel Morrison. He was born at home at 1005 S. Fifth, Burlington, Des Moines County,Iowa. Richard was the fourth child born to the couple and the second son. He graduated from Burlington High School in 1948.

Then Richard enlisted in regular Army October 15, 1948. He obtained basic training at Ft. Knox, Kentucky, then Submarine Mine school, Ft. Scott, San Francisco, California, then assigned ot Headquarter and service Company, Second Engineer Combat Batallion, Second Infantry Division, Ft. Lewis, Washington in July 1949. He was a nineteen year old Corporal in the Army. He then was shipped to Korea, August 1950 as a truck driver. In December 1, 1950, he was captured and held prisoner by the Chinese Communist Forces near Kuunu ri, North Korea. He was returned at Panmunjom, Korea on April 20, 1953. He was then discharged July 1953. He spent 29 months as a prisoner of war in North Korea.

On February 20th, 1954, he married Geneva Mary Gehringer at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Burlington, Iowa. He worked as a tool and die maker at Klein Manufacturing for 13 years and then 25 years at General Electric where he retired in 1991.

He and his bride became the parents to seven children and lived most of their married life in a home in rural Des Moines County and this is where they raised their children.

Dick was a quiet, humble, and gentle soul. He and Geneva were quite a couple. He always referred to her as "his bride". If you ever visited their home, you always felt like it was somewhere you belonged. It was a "home".

Dick had several interests including cars, travel, trains, history, genealogy and his cat, Oliver. He always made time for family and friends.

In December 2003, Dick and Genny Morrison went to the 50th Anniversary of the "Burning of the Colors", Richard and Geneva flew to Camp Casey, South Korea to commemorate the event. It was a moving event for both Richard and Geneva.

Richard was awarded the "Purple Heart" the day he passed away on February 24, 2012. The medal came three hours after his death. He did receive the notification on February 23, 2012.

Richard Oliver Morrison was such a man of honor and distinction. My children both loved Dick and Genny as if they were their grandparents. When you were loved and cared about by this couple, you knew what real love was all about.

Debbie Mehaffy