Comal County Pearl Harbor Survivor Passes Away...

Robert E. Morris

On Wednesday, yet another member of the Greatest Generation passed away. Robert E. Morris was born on November 30, 1922 and lived a life dedicated to God, family, country, and to his community. He, like so many other members of the Greatest Generation, grew up enduring the hardships of the Great Depression, then was asked to go fight the most costly war in the history of mankind. Morris was a survivor of the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor that took place back in '41, and then spent the next several years of his life fighting to ensure that his Country and our way of life did not vanish from the face of the earth. He, and so many other members of this Greatest Generation met their challenges head on. No one asked them if they wanted to grow up in the most difficult economic times in our history. It just turned out that way, and they dealt with it. As young men, they were asked to go defeat some of the most sinister evil our world has ever seen in the form of the Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan. They just did it. They represent the Greatest Generation our country has ever known.

Robert E. Morris

I had the honor to meet and talk with Mr. Morris last fall when I gave the Veteran's Day Speech at Canyon Lake High School. He was the grandfather of two of our students, and they invited him to attend the ceremony. He was introduced, and our student body was able to give him a lengthy standing ovation to recognize what he had done for our nation. He sat in the front row during the presentation, and I thank God that I had the opportunity to shake his hand, and offer a sincere thank you to this remarkable American. If you watched the speech that I gave, you know the central message that I attempted to get across to the audience was that we need to say "Thank you.", and honor our World War II veterans while we have the chance. The window of time is closing on this Generation, and we must never take for granted what they did for our nation.

Morris' grandson Chris, is one of our athletes at Canyon Lake High School. When I saw him on Thursday, he shared with me the photo on the right. The Navy clock hangs on the wall in the home of Morris, and at the time of his passing the clock stopped as well. I got chills when Chris shared this with me. That is either one amazing coincidence, or the God of the universe speaks to us in many ways. I believe the latter. Robert Morris sails in paradise now, because I believe what it says in the good book: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him."