WILLIAM ‘BILL’ ALBERT MORRIS
June 5, 1939–Oct. 23, 2024
William (Bill) Albert Morris was a lifetime resident of Weston County, Wyoming. He was born at the family ranch on June 5, 1939. He is the fifth of eight children born to Benjamin A. and Edna F. Morris. A graduate of Newcastle High School in 1957, he joined the Wyoming National Guard in August 1961 and was a member until August 1967. He married his first wife, Carrie, in November 1962 and had two children, Peggy and Guy. They lived in Manville, Upton and Osage before settling down in Newcastle in 1971. Bill and Carrie divorced in 1985. Shortly after this, he met his second wife Peggy Dean Morris, and they married in May 1986. With this union Bill gained nine stepchildren.
Bill was raised on a ranch and was a ranch hand most of his life. He also worked at Osage Power and Light for 13 years. He owned and operated Western Processing for 14 years from 1977 to 1991 and enjoyed cutting meat for people. Bill taught hunter safety for 21 years and was president of the Tubb Town Muzzleloaders Club for over 30 years. He was also president of the local gun club, ran the shooting range and helped to put on the local sagebrush festival for many years. He was a deacon in the First Baptist Church for over 17 years and was on the Weston County Museum Board for 26 years, from 1996 to 2022. He believed you should be involved in your community and thought that traditions were important and should be passed down to the next generation. His passions were hunting, shooting, riding and being outdoors.
Bill is survived by his daughter, Peggy Jones (Brian Allen) of Clifton, ID; his stepchildren, Edward (Lori) Smith, Vickie (Pat) Smith, Gary Smith and DeAnna Cummings of Newcastle; Timmy Smith, Jeffrey (Patty) Smith, Sandra (Mark) Schumn and Clyde (Melissa) Smith of Wayne City, IL; and Nolan (Beth) Smith of Orchardville, IL; and his brother, Robert Morris of Arizona, and his sister, Joyce (Mickey) Hammell of Evansville Wyoming, along with several grandchildren, great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Bill is preceded in death by his son, Arnie (Guy) Wayne Morris; parents, Ben and Edna Morris; sister, Helen Knipp; and brothers, Henry, James, Richard and Benjamin Morris. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Weston County Museum district and First Baptist Church of Newcastle, Wyoming. Services will be held on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 11 a.m. at the First Baptist Church. Condolences may be sent to the family in care of Meridian Mortuary, 111 S Railway Ave., Newcastle, Wyoming 82701 or expressions of sympathy may also be made online at meridianmortuary.com.