Lawrence Morris

Hastings resident, Lawrence "Larry" Lester Morris, 96, passed away Thursday, October 16, 2014 in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Services with military rites by Hastings Veterans Organizations will be Thursday, October 23, 2014; 11:00 A.M. at Lakeside Community Church of the Nazarene, Hastings with Pastor John Whitsett officiating. Private family burial will be held at a later date. Book signing will be Wednesday, October 22, 2014; 9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. at the funeral home, and one hour prior to service at the church. Memorials may be given to Lakeside Community Church of the Nazarene, 700 West 22nd Street, Hastings, Nebraska 68901.

Larry was born on May 19, 1918 in rural Red Willow County, northwest of Indianola, Nebraska to Marten & Therese A. (Meixner) Morris. He graduated from Red Willow County High School in 1937 and attended McCook Community College in McCook, Nebraska for 1 1/2 years. Larry served for one year in the Halsey National Forest and Soil Conservation Camp in Beaver City, Nebraska. He served with the U.S. Army Air Force from January 17, 1941 until September 3, 1945, serving 2 1/2 years in the South Pacific with the 70th fighter squad, 13th Air Force, Airplane Armament Section in Guadalcanal Campaign and Salomon Island Area. Larry graduated from University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1949 with a bachelor's degree in sociology and began his career in social work in Wayne, York, Furnas, Dawson and Adams Counties. He was the President of County Welfare Association in 1971. He spent the last 12 years of his career in the Hastings office; retiring in September 1983. Larry married Amy Pearl Barnes on November 15, 1953 in Wayne, Nebraska. In 1959, Larry and Amy became foster parents to their daughter, Cheryl Laughlin. He was a member of Masonic Lodge #228 in Bartley, Nebraska, Hastings Tehama Shrine, York Rite Bodies, Scottish Rite, past member Tehama Temple Shrine Patrol, Tehama Legion of Honor, American Legion, Veteran of Foreign Wars, and Lakeside Community Church of the Nazarene.

Larry was preceded in death by his parents.

SURVIVORS:
Wife:
Amy Morris - Hastings, NE