Obit: Morley, William John Jr. #2 (1918 - 2005)
Contact:  Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon

Surnames: Morley, Dickison, Foemmel, Ames

----Sources: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) May 18, 2005

Morley, William John Jr. (September 18, 1918 - May 16, 2005)

William Morley, age 86, of Neillsville, died Monday, May 16, 2005 at the Memorial Nursing Home in Neillsville, Wis.

William John Morley, Jr. was born on September 18, 1918 near Gold Butte, Montana the son of William J. Sr. and Bella (Dickison) Morley. He attended a country school through the eighth grade. Following school, Bill became a sheep herder for a neighbor with 3,000 to 5,000 animals in his flock. From May to Novembe3r, the sheep herders followed the flock, sleeping under the stars and carrying their supplies in a Conestoga wagon. Bill was paid $1 a day. When no jobs were available in the winter, he lived on the sheep ranch and trapped. He also worked at a wheat ranch for $20 a month.

In 1941, at the age of 23, Bill volunteered for the Army and was assigned to the medical Corp in Los Angeles. At an evening party in Los Angeles Bill met Elda Foemmel, originally from Neillsville, Wis. They were married on October 30, 1943 in Los Angeles. Bill was discharged in 1945 after four years of service.

Following Bill’s discharge, the couple moved back to Neillsville, Wis. There was an opening for a mail carrier for Route 1, Granton, which covered the area north of the village at that time. Bill took and passed the mail carrier’s test.

He became a regular carrier and held the job for 30 years, retiring in 1978. He covered 100 miles and filled 290 mailboxes each day.

One of Bill’s hobbies was repairing lawnmowers in his garage. He also loved to fish and hunt. He served for 30 years on the Granton Board of Education.

Bill is survived by his wife, Elda; one son, Fred (Linda) Morley, of Hazelhurst; one daughter, Joanne Ames, of Minneapolis, MN; seven grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and one brother, Clarence Morley of Sunburst, MT.

He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Cecil, Cyphran and Wallace; two sisters, Helen and Anna and a daughter-in-law, Diane Morley.

Funeral services for Bill will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, May 19, 2005 at the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Granton. Pastor John Trewyn will officiate. Music will be provided by Caroline Helm, organist. Interment will be in the Windfall Cemetery in Granton. Visitation will be from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m., Thursday at the Church.

Casket Bearers are: Brian Arntsen, Brian Resop, Jim Murphy, Tim Morrison, Robert Scheel and Christopher Lejcher.

The Gesche Funeral Home is assisting Bill’s family with funeral arrangements.