ShawneeDispatch.com

He was the man about town, the newspaper man and a man to count on when organizations needed a volunteer.

Pat Morrison, 57, known for his role as publisher of the former Shawnee Journal-Herald, died Aug. 6 in the Veterans Medical Center in Columbia, Mo. Funeral services were held Friday in his native state of Oklahoma, but locally, residents are remembering Morrison's humor, friendliness and compassion.

Patrick Morgan Morrison was born to George D. and Maribel (Morgan) Morrison on Dec. 23, 1949, in Bartlesville, Okla. He served in the Marine Corps Force Recon Division, and was honorably discharged in 1972. He was a member of Lions Club, Sigma Nu, Chamber of Commerce and Knights of Columbus.

Morrison moved to Mission after his divorce in order to be close to his daughter, Sarah, and accepted a position with the Journal-Herald. Longtime friend Lanny Bachtle met Morrison when he came to the General Electric office in Merriam to sell advertising for the paper.

"When I first met him, any time you meet a salesman, your guard is up," Bachtle said. "But he was a great salesman."

Through that partnership, Bachtle joined Morrison in his many volunteer efforts in the community with the Shawnee and Northeast Johnson County chambers of commerce and the Shawnee-Merriam Lions Club. Bachtle said Morrison also was a board member of the Volunteers in Prisons organization and often volunteered at Lansing State Prison.

Morrison also volunteered with the Crosslines organization in Kansas City, Kan., and was a faithful member of the Queen of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Overland Park.

"He was very compassionate; he really liked to help people," Bachtle said. "He was a practical joker, too; he had a lot of fun and had a sense of humor."

Bachtle remembered that when he retired in 2003, Morrison put a full-page spread about Bachtle in the newspaper, calling him "man of the year."

Morrison may be known best for his work with the chambers of commerce. He was an ambassador for the Shawnee chamber and co-chaired its 2000 annual dinner. Bachtle said those dinners were such a success that the Northeast chamber asked him to do the same for their dinner.

"He certainly had a knack for getting sponsors and for getting people involved," Bachtle said.

Morrison also inspired others to give back to him; Lions Club members once took it upon themselves to renovate the Journal-Herald office so he could have a better work space. And three years ago, after Morrison suffered a heart attack, the club took over the renovation of his house, painting all the rooms on the first floor.

Morrison served as publisher of the Journal-Herald for more than 10 years until it discontinued publication in 2005. He continued to suffer from heart troubles and entered the Veterans Medical Center for a triple bypass. Bachtle said Morrison never recovered from the surgery.

Morrison was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his daughter, Sarah Simpson Morrison, who recently graduated from Shawnee Mission Northwest High School; his two sisters, Sally Canfield of Bartlesville, Okla., and Pamala Pofahl of Collinsville, Okla.; his former wife Laura Simpson of Lenexa; numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews and a host of friends. A memorial account was created at Capitol Federal Savings bank for Morrison's daughter, Sarah, for her college education.

The final committal rites were held in Memorial Park Cemetery in Oklahoma, with ceremonial military rites conducted by the Bartlesville American Legion Post No. 105. Arrangements are under the direction of Walker-Brown Funeral Home.