Raymond D. Morris

AITKIN — Raymond D. Morris, age 82, of Aitkin, died unexpectedly on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013, at the Kimberly-Glen Town Hall.

Raymond was born Aug. 30, 1930, in Spencer Township of Aitkin County, the son of Dewey and Katherine (Pendergast) Morris. He attended school at Rossburg through the 8th grade and then attended school in Aitkin graduating from the Aitkin High School in 1949. He then served in the U.S. Army. He returned to Aitkin after his discharge and married Phyllis L. Spencer on June 3, 1953, in Spencer Township. He then attended the Minnesota School of Business and received his AA degree in accounting. He worked for the First National Bank in Aitkin for a time and in 1957 moved to Willmar and worked for an accounting firm there. In 1964 he purchased an accounting firm in Morris, Minn. He and his family moved back to Aitkin in 1975 and he purchased the Beyreuther Accounting Practice, but he continued to manage the business in Morris until he retired in 2000. He had owned practices in Willmar, Wheaton, Montevideo, Morris and Aitkin. In 1975, when he moved back to Aitkin he pursued his first love which was farming and continued farming up to his death. He was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints, the Republican party, the Central Minnesota Premium Beef Assoc. and had served as its treasurer, served as a board member for the Woodland Mutual Insurance Co. in Carlton, served on the Spencer Township Board and was its Board Chair; had served on the Riverwood Health Care Center Board, and was active in numerous other organizations.

He is survived by his wife, Phyllis Morris, of Aitkin; children, Marilyn (Bill) Crowther, of Aitkin, Carol (Shawn) Kyar, of Aitkin, Brad (Cindy) Morris, of Maple Grove, Minn.; daughter-in-law, Merrilee Morris, of Suwanee, Ga.; 17 grandchildren; and 22 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; son, James Morris; granddaughter, Rachael Morris; and 13 brothers and sisters.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013, at 11 a.m. from the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints in Aitkin with Branch President Ron DeCent officiating. Burial will be in the Spencer Cemetery with military honors provided by the Aitkin American Legion and VFW Posts. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. on Friday at the church and also one hour prior to the service. Arrangements are with the Sorensen-Root-Thompson Funeral Home in Aitkin.

www.srtfuneral.com