Don Peter Morris

Don P. Morris II died peacefully on Saturday, September 7, with his loving wife at his bedside in Ventura, California. He was born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee to Donald Peter and Elizabeth Morris. He is survived by his wife, Susan Morris, their daughter, Alexandra Morris, his brother, Ralph D. Morris, and children Ginger Butler, Peter Morris, and Mark Morris from a previous marriage.

He attended the University of Arizona, receiving a degree in anthropology. Don served in the U.S. Army from 1959 to 1961, with one year in Korea. He had a great love of the outdoors with a long career in the National Park Service (NPS). Don was initially stationed at Wupatki National Monument, Arizona. He later supervised the excavation of Antelope House in Canyon de Chelly. His last assignment in the NPS was in California at Channel Islands National Park as the park’s first archaeologist where he developed an expertise in Pygmy mammoth paleontology.

Don’s mantra was “take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints”. He was most at home when he was hiking, biking, backpacking, mountain climbing, caving, scuba diving, running an occasional marathon, and sleeping under the stars.

His post-retirement period involved seasonal work as Crew Chief at the Mammoth Site in Hot Springs, South Dakota, and for Ventura County Elections. He had many volunteer activities including work at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History where he received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024. Don considered the time he spent doing wilderness search and rescue with the Southern Arizona Rescue Association (SARA) the most valuable volunteer work of his lifetime. Donations in his name can be made to this organization.