Melvin Morris

On Wednesday, December 26, 2018, Dr. Melvin Lee Morris passed away at the age of 89. Mel was born on March 27, 1929, in Cincinnati, Ohio to Samuel and Rose Morris. He spent a vast majority of his childhood in the Cleveland, Ohio area. He received his BS in 1951, his MS in 1955, and his PhD in 1958, all in the field of chemistry, from The Ohio State University. He completed a Postdoctoral Fellow at Northwestern University in 1958 and from The Ohio State in 1959. Mel served his country as a proud member of the United States Army. Upon graduation from college he went on to work briefly at Texas Tech and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, OH before coming to Fargo, ND in 1963. Mel had a passion for teaching that was reflected in his life’s work. Mel retired in 1995 after 32 years as a member of the North Dakota State University chemistry department faculty. In his retirement he chose to return to Ladd Hall and volunteer as a tutor until his “second retirement” in 2016. His many former students, fellow educators and friends remember him for his ability to make them laugh. He was a faithful member of his Memorial Union lunch group and a founding member of the Skulls. Mel also had a love for athletics and was a loyal fan of North Dakota State University and The Ohio State University. Mel was a fixture at many Bison athletic events and forged many relationships with Bison athletes. He followed his beloved Buckeyes faithfully on TV and cheered loudly as if he was at the event. He often traveled with the NDSU Wrestling Team and was an honorary director at the USA Wrestling Tournament each year. Mel passed away surrounded by a few close friends and in the thoughts of many that loved him throughout the years. He will be missed by many.