Joseph Edwin Morris (Oct. 6, 1934 – Nov. 10, 2024) passed peacefully, only two weeks after losing Alice, his beloved wife of 67 years.

He was a retired Major in the U.S. Air Force, a legendary pilot and flight instructor, a tireless volunteer in counseling and ministry. To the children left behind, he is our hero.

Born 90 years ago in Holbrook, Illinois, into an Irish family of 10 children, in the depths of the Great Depression and before the second World War, he grew up on a small farm. He graduated from Peoria High School and attended Bradley University in Peoria, Ill. before enlisting in the Air Force in 1953.

Soon identified as pilot material, he became an officer and Strategic Air Command squadron commander. Joe was stationed in many locations, including two years in Yokota, Japan, and served in the Vietnam War and the Cold War.

He later flew commercially for Braniff International and Buffalo, worked for the FAA, and later as an instructor at ATP and a director of operations at Higher Power Aviation. He obtained a bachelor’s degree at Dallas Baptist University. He was honored with the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award in 2007.

He worked for the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth as family life minister with his wife, Alice Morris. Dedicated to healthy marriages, the two ministered to thousands of couples presenting marriage encounter, Retrouvaille, engaged encounter, Pre-Cana, Cursillo, Starting a New Life, natural family planning, RENEW, and ACTS retreats.

The couple eventually started the Spanish Pre-Cana program in the Fort Worth Diocese in the 1990s. Locally he served St. Peter’s parish as a Eucharistic minister, and with Alice started the sponsor couple program, hosting many engaged couples in one-onone marriage preparation.

They hosted and led a prayer group at their home for many years and volunteered with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

Joe is survived by three daughters, Denise Morris, Terise (Ron) Bransford, and Anastacia (Tim) Cleveland; one son, Daniel (Lisa) Morris; five granddaughters, Annalaura (Cody) Gary, Crissy (David) Schackman, Kalina (Dylan) Kucera, Meghan Cleveland and Mary Alice Morris; five grandsons, Joshua Carpenter, Wesley and Kolbe Morris, Jonathan Bransford and Jeremy Gage; many great-grandchildren; one sister Carol Morris, and one brother, Bob (Connie) Morris; sister-in-law Sue Morris; nieces and nephews and many friends.

Preceding him in death were his parents, James and Mabel Morris; his beloved wife of 67 years, Alice Morris; six brothers (and sisters-inlaw) Francis and Lois Morris, James Jr. and Helen Morris, Ronald and MaryAnn Morris, Glenn and Isabel Morris, Bill and Betty Morris, and Ken Morris; and one sister, Helen (Vernon) Guritz.

Visitation will be 5 p.m. Nov. 18, 2024, with the Rosary beginning at 6 p.m., at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church, 202 W. Kronkpsky in Boerne.

Funeral service will be held at 11:30 a.m. Nov. 19, 2024, at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Boerne City Cemetery.

Donations may be made to: St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church school fund; Mission Aviation Fellowship at MAF.org; or the St. Vincent de Paul. Please see www.ebensberger- fisher.com for updates and further biographical information, and to post memories of your own.