Memorial services for Charles “Bob” R. Morrison will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 29, 2017 at First Presbyterian Church in Albert Lea, Minnesota. Reverend Dwight Netzer will officiate. A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in Freeborn Cemetery.
Charles “Bob” R. Morrison, age 99, died on Monday, April 3, 2017 at the Albert Lea Medical Center. Bob was born on August 28, 1917 to parents Charles and Viola (Trow) Morrison and raised in Albert Lea, MN.
On November 6, 1939 Bob was united in marriage to Bernice e. Peterson in Kalispell, Montana and on their honeymoon they hunted Big Horn sheep. The couple farmed until 1944 in Freeborn County. During the war Bob took a wartime appointment with the Department of Interior at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. He ran the Government Dairy Farm at Pine Ridge, having trained at the U of M School of Agriculture in St. Paul prior to marriage. In 1948, the war was over and the Morrison family returned and Bob went to work for Pete Christensen in Freeborn.
Bob eventually bought the hardware and equipment business. He started to sell pumps and sometimes customers needed a new well. He then decided to go to school for well drilling, bought a drilling rig and started to drill wells. His first well was in the Indian Hills area in Albert Lea. Bob was an entrepreneur, starting Morrison Well Drilling Company in 1948. Even into his late 90s, Bob would go to Freeborn every day to get the mail, stop for coffee, and be at the shop by 9. He also loved to grab lunch and play a game of cards with the fellows in the afternoon. Bob remained active in the company until January 6, 2016, age 98.
Bob and Bernice were members of Freeborn Congregational United Church of Christ. They resided in Freeborn for most of their married life but moved into Albert Lea and eventually Thorne Crest for their later years. They had a love for traveling, especially to foreign countries. Bernice passed away in 2006. Bob recently became a member of First Presbyterian Church in Albert Lea.
Bob is survived by his children, Pat (Larry) Lee of Albert Lea, MN, Dennis (Naoma) Morrison of Alden, MN, Doug (Julie) Morrison of Alden, MN, Greg (Suzanne) Morrison of Fargo, ND; grandchildren, Angie (Gary) Geesman, Brent (Diane) Morrison, Steve (Kris) Lee, Dan Lee, Shawn (Allison) Morrison, Sharlene (Dave) Rickert, Matt (Jana) Morrison, Sarah (Jeff) Brass, Megan (Zach) Bisek; great grandchildren, Bobby (Kaycee), Tommy, and Mallory Geesman, Jordan Schilz, Brittany and Bailey Morrison, Luke, Emma, and Ava Morrison, Cole and Sage Rickert, Makenzie Johnson, Katelyn Lee, Naia, Finley, and Piper Brass, Lucas and Cameron Bisek, Alexa Morrison; sister-in-law, Pearl Morrison of St. Peter, MN; and many other relatives.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Bernice; parents; brother, M.T. (June) Morrison and Bill Morrison; and brother and sister in-law, Robert & Florabelle Hanson.