The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1900-04-13
Obituary of John A. Morrice.

Morrice, March 81, 1900. aged SO years.
Mr. Morrice was born at the old
Morrice homestead, and his entire life
has been passed in this locality. Social
ly and politically he was well known
turnout the county, and the announce
ment of his death will be received with
real regret by all. His strength of
character and natural ability made him
man of prominence and distinction,
and his record as administrator of pub
lie affairs has been clean and conscien-
tious. For many years he represented
the township of Perry as its supervisor.
and until i'll health obliged him to avoid
public office he was often president of
this village, and for several years he was
postmaster at Morrice. At the age of
"a he was happily married to Miss Libbie
Walker. and two children, a son and
daughter, blessed~their union, both of
whom survive him.
Mr.. Morrice had been ill for several
weeks and friends were anxious about
him. but no serious results were antici-
pated He had been able to call daily
at the home of his daughter. Mrs. Earl
Ram, but on Tuesday he extended his
walk as far as the depot; and 1T was on
his return that he was stricken with
fatal results. He was assisted to his
home and medical aid summoned, but
all in vain: in little time the great
heart, the tender, loving heart of John
Morrice had ceased to beat. AS some
deep shadow may veil the brightness of
the sun at MONDAY, so the news of his
death as it was passed in subdued tones
from one to another. cast the gloom of a
heavy sorrow over the community.
Men and women, voiceless from a grief
that refuses to be expressed in words,
met, clasped hands silently. and passed
on with bowed heads. Long years of
acquaintance and social companionship
had made John Morrice, to many of us
more than a friend-he seemed a
brother. He possessed that intuition
that enabled him to read and under
stand the character of men around him.
and he was quick to discern aud appre-
ciate the good in others. He recognized
no class or condition, no man so high,
none so low they did not come within
the circumference of his personal inter
est. His own strong discernment in
matters of Importance made him
power to which the weak turned for that
strength which they intuitively felt did
not belong to themselves. Affable and
courteous in all his social relations in
life, he was firm and unyielding in his
convictions of what constituted right
or wrong. He was not man to be
bought or cajoled. The principle of
right action was the anchor to which
John Morrice had rivited his very soul,
and no council, no bribery of financial
gain or public preferment, could weaken
its stability.
He was staunch friend and support
er of the Presbyterian church at Morrice
altho not a member of that society; yet
no man asks "was he Christian" for
no man doubts it. Nurtured in the
arms of a Christian mother, encircled
by the prayers of pious father breath
ing thru all his childhood the atmos-
phere of God fearing home, the germs
Of living and abiding faith were too
firmly imbued with his nature to be up
rooted by any modern unbel.ef. That
he drew nearer to the source of Infinite
strength as his hopes of long life became
more and more uncertain and Elusive,
was apparent to every Christian OBJ
server. He was not man to proclaim
these things, but his words and actions
we're evidence that the teachings of his
youth had reached the full fruition of a
hope in Immortality.
As man in the community his gent
Al presence will be greatly missed. Not
soon will he be forgotten-such life |
indeed can never die. To every young
nan he has left the example of high |
md noble aims, and somewhere in the |
moving world about us it has found a
odgement, and will move on and on in |
he ever broadening waves of resistless |
influence. To his home circle, the |
owed ones of his heart and soul, he has |
eft the sweet and tender memory of |
years of happy union and blissful COM
partnership, and because of this memory
here will come, to them the blessed |
that the love that burns |
upon the great heart of God is over all |
his children.
20 thou Divinest Friend
When shall it be
That we may know them in their gar
ments white,
And see them with new and clearer
sight,
Dur ola familiar friends. made fair and