Michael Morris, 66

Michael Morris, son of John Morris and Joan Kountz Morris, died February 2, 2023, at his home in Irvine, California after a seven-year battle with stomach-esophageal cancer. He died on Groundhog Day, which would have made Michael laugh.

Michael was born in Butte on July 17, 1957, and grew up on the family ranch south of Whitehall where he attended the local grade school and played basketball and track. From an early age, Michael was resourceful and determined. When his mother refused to get up early to drive him the four miles to town for morning basketball practices, he walked, hitchhiked, bicycled, rode a horse or “borrowed” his grandfather’s car. No wonder he often arrived late.

Michael attended Butte Central High School where he played basketball and ran track. He graduated in 1975, having earned the nickname Merc. Michael attended the University of Notre Dame where he studied civil engineering and played all four years in the annual Bookstore Basketball Tournament.

Michael moved to Santa Monica after graduation where he worked as an engineer for the Los Angeles County Flood Control. In 1986 he married the love of his life, Cecilia. He earned an MBA from USC in 1988 and started his career in real estate development. After decades of developing office and industrial projects across Southern California, Michael found great satisfaction working for himself as principal of Village Partners developing walkable mixed-use communities with beautiful architecture and ample public space. During his tenure at Village Partners, Michael mentored his youngest daughter, Kaitlin, and oversaw the successful development of multiple transformative transit-oriented mixed-use projects.

Michael’s zest for life, love of family, and loyalty to friends was boundless. He was a proud and devoted father to his two daughters, Emily and Kaitlin. He loved basketball, Bruce Springsteen, Notre Dame sports, backpacking, road trips, hiking, skiing, kayaking, and mountain biking. Both frugal and generous, tough but tender, he always took the smallest portion and carried the heaviest backpack. He was the glue that bound our big family together, the brother who organized our annual rendezvous home to Montana. Reading his itineraries was enough to wear you out. Every summer he got us to kayak, camp, water ski, bicycle, hike, fish, and horseback ride, often in the same day.

Michael is survived by his devoted wife, Cecilia Flanagan; his two daughters, Emily Morris of San Francisco who will be married to Niels Lindgren this summer in Montana, and Kaitlin Morris of Newport Beach, who wed Tait Viskovich last summer in California, as well as his siblings: Michele Morris (Thom Laursen) of Park City, UT; Sheila Morris of San Diego, CA; Jack Morris of Missoula, MT; and Brian Morris (Cherche Prezeau) of Helena, MT. He was gracious and generous to his half-brother, William Karrasch of San Diego, CA, whom he met in 2012, often saying that he’d always wanted a big brother. Michael was the first coach and greatest fan of his younger brothers, Jack and Brian. He was the proud uncle of eleven nieces and nephews: Jack Laursen, Matthew Gaebe, Willem Morris, Max Morris, Aidan Morris, Zara Morris, Mekdi Morris, Mia Morris, Erin Blackmar and Tyson Karrasch, and his great-nephew, Declan Backmar.

He was predeceased by his parents, John and Joan Morris, as well as his nephew and godson, Nicholas Laursen, who died on Michael’s birthday in 2018.

A memorial service in Butte is planned for next summer.