Ian D Morrison

Ian Dunlop Morrison

Born February 18, 1929 – Died March 19, 2014

Ian was born to an historical Scottish Presbyterian family in the little village of Breadsall, just on the edge of the City of Derby in Derbyshire, England.  He was the second of three children, having an older brother (Robert) and a younger sister (Margaret), both of whom preceded him in death, as did his parents, John Morrison and Annie Thompson.

 

The family lived in Harrow Weald in northwest London during the years Ian was in school and the friends he made there were his friends for life.  Whenever he visited the U.K. he tried to spend at least some time with old school chums and often intentionally visited during the time his school held its annual reunion.  In the later years of his education in Harrow Weald, Ian was studying pre-veterinary basic sciences and had been accepted for admission to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.  He often mused that he would have been James Herriot had he stayed in England.  Instead, in 1947, Ian boarded a large vessel which had been in military use during World War II but was converted to a passenger vessel and he sailed across the Atlantic in steerage.  Although the ship docked in New York, Ian soon found himself traveling across Canada by train, ultimately arriving in Sedro-Wooley where a position awaited him with a family who needed a farm hand. Ian’s mother had once gone to Sedro-Wooley to care for a sick uncle, but he had died before she arrived.  Nevertheless, the  family stayed in touch with acquaintances there and that is the connection which eventually resulted in Ian’s arrival there.    In Sedro-Wooley as he had in Harrow Weald, Ian made friends for life.  And in Sedro-Wooley – as he had been in England – Ian was well-known and widely sought for his naturally warm and resonant singing voice.

 

Although Ian became a part of the Lutheran congregation in Sedro-Wooley (probably because his friends were members there and the church had an active youth program), when the farm work ran out and he moved to Seattle, Ian reattached himself to the Presbyterian church, serving as tenor soloist over the years (at different times) at both University Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church.

 

Ian found work with the Clint Lee Printing Company in the late forties/early fifties, stayed at the YMCA, and ate the same things every day for breakfast, lunch and supper to survive on his meager salary.  But at least early on, he found it useful to sort of linger on the front steps of the church on Sunday morning as the congregation exited and virtually always found himself invited to a sumptuous Sunday dinner at someone’s home – always a very welcome change from his frugal and monotonous meals during the week.

 

In the mid-fifties Ian decided to pursue a career in the funeral business.  He served his apprenticeship in Bothell, got his credentials at California College of Mortuary Science, and ultimately bought a number of small funeral businesses in the Seattle area until he and Stuart Adams collaborated to become Adams-Morrison Mortuaries, Inc., owning and operating the funeral business at Acacia Memorial Park.  He also owned Bothell Funeral Home and the two locations were operated together until Ian retired in 1999.

 

Throughout his life, Ian was in high demand as a soloist, but also very much enjoyed choral singing.  Early on he not only sang with church chorales, but also with the Ralston (Men’s) Chorus, Seattle Symphony Chorale, and finally spent 15 years singing with the Seattle Opera Chorus, all of which he enjoyed immensely.  His intense admiration for and enjoyment of virtually all classical music was well-fed by his personal participation in so much of the repertoire.  He loved the Opera, Symphony and recitals.  He could identify a work of music and the composer by hearing only a few random bars of it.  His father played the piano and his mother had been known for her singing voice.  He had grown to love music as a schoolboy at Harrow Weald County School and that love never waned.   During his last stay in the hospital following surgery, he had requested that some of his favorite CDs be brought to him with his CD player and headset.  Collections of virtualy all of the classical composers sat proudly – and insistently – within reach.  He had over two dozen CDs – some multiple CD collections – of symphonies by Brahms, Dvorak, Stravinsky, to name a few; piano (from Bach to Liszt to Chopin) and choral music.

 

It should come as no surprise that his favorite opera was Donizetti’s “Lucia de Lammermoor.”  It’s set in Scotland, as you may have guessed.

 

In spite of his aborted veterinary career, Ian retained his love for and connection with animals throughout his life.  During the last year, his shadow was a little blonde half Pomeranian, half Chihuahua whom he adored.  He could not move without her at his side.  She also loved the long naps on the down comforter.

 

Ian was a 42 year member of Lafayette Lodge #241 in Seattle.  A 32^nd degree Mason, he often sang at Scottish Rite and loved attending Burns night commemorating the birthday of the poet Robert Burns on January 25^th.

 

During his career and his involvement in professional and service organizations, Ian served one year as President of King County Funeral Directors Association and one year as President of Washington State Funeral Directors Association.

 

Ian was appointed to the Washington State Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers where he served eleven years.  He was Chairman for three of those years.

 

As he neared retirement, Ian decided he wanted to complete his college work, so he enrolled in The Evergreen State College and proudly graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 2000 at the age of 71.

 

Ian died of complications following a successful cancer surgery three weeks prior to his death at St. Peter Hospital.  He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Lorraine Ely-Morrison of Olympia; three children from a previous marriage: Janet (Dennis) Gillingham of Mukilteo, Scott (Lia) Morrison of Woodinville, and David Morrison of Seattle; two step-children, Doug (Peggy) Pulse of Rochester and Alison (Joel)  Sepavich of Lynnwood; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren with another on the way, and 4 step-grandchildren; two nieces and one nephew in England, one niece in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, one niece and two nephews in Omaha, Nebraska, and numerous cousins in England.

 

A funeral will be held at Woodlawn Funeral Home at noon on April 12, 2014, followed by interment at Woodlawn.  A reception will follow at the family home.  Viewing will be from 11 o’clock until 12 noon that same day.

 

If you wish to honor Ian with a donation, the family suggests donations be made to any animal shelter or to Shriners Hospitals.