Longtime Harney County resident, Robert O. “Doc” Morrison Jr., M.D., 93, passed away peacefully Feb. 7.

Doc Morrison was born Dec. 16, 1925, in Portland. He attended grade schools in Seattle and Portland. Doc graduated from Grant High School in Portland in 1944, and after graduation, he entered the U.S. Army Air Corps. Serving in the Pacific Theater, he was a bombardier on B-24s and B-25s. After World War II ended, he used the G.I. Bill to attend college at the University of Oregon to earn his undergraduate degree in chemistry and his medical degree. It was during this time that he met his wife of 52 years, Shirley, on a blind date. They had three children, Robbie, Kern, and Lisa. When Robbie was an infant, they lost their home in the Vanport flood. The only thing that they were able to recover were Doc’s war bonds, which were plastered on a wall after the water receded. Robbie and Kern were born while Doc was in medical school, and Lisa was born while he was finishing his residency at Good Samaritan in Portland. He then moved his family to Burns to practice medicine.

Doc was a true country doctor. He was an obstetrician, a surgeon, and also served as medical examiner for many years. Doc was chief of staff, ambulance director, and served on the hospital board. After closing his practice at age 71, he became the rural health doctor, which consisted of covering Harney County in a medical trailer every other week. He would travel to Crane, Fields, Denio, and Frenchglen to see patients and take care of mostly minor, but also some complex issues. He truly loved his profession and served so many people in Harney County.

Doc Morrison, was a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend to many. He was an amazing man and lived a life at its very best by serving others. He was an avid skier, tennis player, golfer, hunter, and fisherman, taking his beloved boat, the Lisa May, all over Oregon and over the bar at the Jetty Fishery in Rockaway for years. Doc was an all-around gentle-gentleman. A World War II veteran, he was part of the Greatest Generation. He will be greatly missed every day. He enjoyed a couple spots as the less-energetic life of being elderly set in. He was to be seen at the Apple Peddler each morning enjoying breakfast, and in the afternoon enjoying a glass of Chardonnay at the Valley Golf Club. He was treated by those in Harney County these last few years as he treated everyone, with respect, care, and always positivity.

Dr. Morrison is survived by his three children, Robbie and wife, Rose, and their two children, Hope and Natali, residing in Beaverton, and Rob’s daughter, January Morrison, residing in Washington, D.C., Kern Morrison and his three children, Tyson and wife, Tiffany, and their two young children, Karissa and Kaitlin Morrison, both residing in the Portland area, Lisa Walsh, her husband, Greg, and Lisa’s children, Taylor Ritches and his wife, Misty, and their two children, Emily, 10, and Tristan, 5, of Redmond, Melissa Meeuwsen, her husband, Doug, their two boys, Luke, 4, and Mack, 2, of Hillsboro.

Robert was proceeded in death by his wife, Shirley, in 1999; and a granddaughter, Angela, who passed in 2004 at the age of 33.

A celebration of life well-lived will be held in June at the Valley Golf club.

Donations in Doc Morrison’s memory may be made to the charity of one’s choice.

LaFollette’s Chapel is in charge of arrangements.  Please visit www.lafolletteschapel.com and sign the online guestbook.