Mark Morris was a devoted father, who loved his children very much. He was a generous husband, a loyal friend, and an avid runner and golfer. He passed his love of golf and sportsmanship onto his son Dylan, and his affection for the outdoors and good music to his daughter Lindsay. He was a cheerful competitor, a goodnatured joker, and a passionate educator.
In February of 2008, Mark was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. After a courageous and fierce battle with his cancer, Mark passed away on June 8, 2008, with his family by his side.
After losing him, Mark’s family and friends wished to honor his memory by creating scholarships for enrichment opportunities for at risk students.
For three years following Mark’s passing, a committee of family and friends organized the “Wedges and Wickets” Golf and Croquet tournament, an event that raised money through tournament participation, donates, and silent auction. The event brought together the family with the local community, in a way that both garnered support for the fund and allowed those who knew Mark to remember him in a way he would have enjoyed himself.
Mark believed that enrichment activities have the power to dramatically change a child’s life. He had seen, first hand, how these opportunities affected his own two children. Working with at-risk students in a number of Minnesota and Wisconsin schools, he always offered his students an “extra chance” to be successful and responsible.
Though Mark can no longer serve these students personally, his legacy continues to live on in the scholarships awarded them, and in the memories of his family and friends.