CLINTON F. MORSE
1920-2016
Clinton F. Morse, age 96, died peacefully at home on Monday, the 3rd of October 2016. Born in Berkeley, CA in 1920, he became a Houston resident in 1936.
He received a B. A. Degree from the Rice Institute in 1942, and in 1944, married high school and Rice classmate, Mary Frances Morse. They had been married 69 years when she died in 2013. During WWII, he served as a US Navy Officer on a destroyer in the Seventh Fleet in the Pacific. After receiving his law degree from the University of Texas in 1948, he began his law career with Andrews & Kurth. He was elected to partnership in 1956 and served as the firm’s Administrative Partner from 1971 through his retirement in 1986. He authored two volumes of biographies of the firm’s early lawyers, and was Co-Editor of the firm’s history, Andrews & Kurth L.L.P.: The First 100 Years of Excellence. He was privileged to serve as Director and General Counsel of Hughes Tool Company and as Director of Texas Commerce Bank Houston, South Texas College of Law, AA White Dispute Resolution Institute at the University of Houston Law School, University of Texas Law School Foundation, Houston Bar Foundation, Southeast Texas Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Taping for the Blind, and Chairman of the Harris County Flood Control District.
Memberships included Houston and Texas Bar Associations, Rice “R” Association and several Rice donor societies, the Forest Club (Past President), the Petroleum Club, Sons of the American Revolution, various Houston Chamber of Commerce committees, and St. Luke’s United Methodist Church where he served on the Board and various committees including Co-Chairing the Ushers Committee while ushering for 25 years. Clint especially enjoyed long car trips with his wife, Rice athletics, playing golf, birdwatching, rooting for Houston baseball (Buffs, Colt 45s, Astros), and initiating or joining any adventure involving his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
A gentleman of kindness, he will be remembered for his enthusiasm, positive attitude, patience, immediate welcoming smile, hilarious one-liners, integrity, fairness, and a genuine interest in and concern for all – wildlife, chickens, and pets, strangers, friends, and family. His family wishes it could thank, individually, each person who took a special interest in his welfare: his physicians, and the staffs of the St. James Condominiums, Houston Hospice, and CareTemps, especially caregiver and friend, Shakeya Hoston.
He is survived by his children, Clinton Morse and wife, Vivian, of Hunt, TX; Allison Ryder and husband, Dan, of Lee’s Summit, MO; and Sara Bettencourt and husband, Mark, of Houston; six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
A memorial service celebrating his life is to be conducted at two o’clock in the afternoon on Saturday, the 15th of October, in the Jasek Chapel at Geo. H. Lewis & Sons Funeral Directors, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston. Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception to be held in the adjacent grand foyer.
In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions may be directed towards the Clinton F. Morse Presidential Endowed Scholarship, UT Law School Foundation, 727 E. Dean Keeton St., Austin, TX 78705; the Clinton F. Morse Endowed Athletic Scholarship, Rice University, Office of Development MS-81, P.O. Box 1892, Houston, TX 77251-1892; or to St. Luke’s United Methodist Church Foundation, P.O. Box 22013, Houston, TX 77227-2013; or to the charity of one’s choice.