Morris Dean Williamson, 85, formerly of Osawatomie, died Nov. 20, 2012 at Heritage Health Care in Chanute.

Morris was the youngest of four children born March 6, 1927 to Robert Joshua and Naomi Marie Duerfeldt Willliamson in Herrick, S. D. He attended country school at Pine Grove and also at Rapid City, S. D.

At the age of 15, Morris ran away from home and headed to California where his sister lived in Los Angeles. His plans were to enter the Navy, but he was unable to pass the physical and was not of age. So he worked in theaters as an usher and also worked in bowling alleys while living in California. In 1943 he moved to Kansas City where he worked in a bowling alley setting pins. It was there that he met his future wife who was working in a restaurant just a block or two from the bowling alley.

He was united in marriage to Mildred Louise Bryan on Dec. 3, 1946 in Paola. They made their home in Kansas City and became the parents of their son, Lyle, born on Thanksgiving Day 1950. Mildred died March 17, 2006.

In 1952 they moved to Lane and they lived there for about six months. From there they moved to Osawatomie, then Olathe for 19 years, then Chanute for a couple of years, and then back to Osawatomie in 1998.

Morris worked for 35 years in several auto parts stores. He was manager and part owner of the Bumper to Bumper auto parts store in Olathe, where his son Lyle also worked with him. Morris also worked at the O’Reilly Auto parts store in Paola. He drove a school bus from 1998 to 2000 in Osawatomie, and the Tri KO bus from 2000 to 2001.

Morris was preceded in death by his wife, one brother Donald Williamson and one sister Lorene Fields.

He is survived by his son Lyle and wife, Karla, of Yates Center; one sister, Florence Schlegel of Anchorage, Alaska; two grandchildren: J.R. Williamson of Yates Center, and Brandie Ryerson and husband, Lance, of Wynona, Okla.; and four great-grandchildren.

A private burial was 9 a.m. Friday, Nov. 23 at the Green Valley Cemetery, west of Osawatomie. A memorial service to honor Morris will be at a later date. Arrangements by Eddy-Birchard Funeral Home 203 Main P.O. Box 430 Osawatomie, KS 66064 (913)-755-2114