John Dewayne Morrow, 55

Our family and the community of Lakeside are feeling a tremendous loss with the unexpected death of John Dewayne Morrow on Thursday, Oct. 21, 2010. John was enjoying one of his favorite pastimes with a couple of his best friends when he suffered a heart attack after just having hit two of the greatest shots in all his years of playing golf. John was born May 16, 1955, in Kalispell, to Harold and Louise Vaughan Morrow. He had to walk all the way across the alley to attended Peterson Elementary and graduated from Flathead High School in 1973. He attended FVCC and the University of Montana (go Griz). In 1976, he married his high school sweetheart, Randee Redpath, at her parents Flathead Lake home. In 1979, their daughter, Maren, was born. He spent many years being her basketball coach and her cheering section. Maren s arrival could only be topped by the birth of his two grandchildren. John was active in the Somers Volunteer Fire Department for over 20 years. He was a charter member of the Lakeside Quick Response Unit, responding to an average of 200 calls a year for 27 years. He was the epitome of quick response as he was usually the first one on the scene (because he drove too fast). He was always there to assist anyone in trouble. He touched so many lives of this valley, whether it was through the fire department, the QRU or running to the store after hours for customer plumbing emergencies. He enjoyed hunting, bowling, golfing, fishing and skiing. He was a true blue Dolphins fan, win or lose. But his biggest passion was being Sadee and Jonathan s Papa. During his high school years, he assisted his father Harold in running the West Shore mail route for the post office. He started working at Sliters Lumber Company in Somers in 1977, following on the shirttails of his father-in-law, Howard Redpath. In 1998, he was named manager at the Lakeside Sliters ACE Hardware, where he was employed at the time of his death. He gave many loyal years devoted to the Sliters. He and Randee enjoyed attending ACE shows that allowed them to visit many different cities. John was preceded in death by his father, Harold Wayne Morrow; his sister-in-law, Connie Stein; his brother-in-law, Cecil Main; and his father- and mother-in-law, Howard and Peggy Redpath. He is survived by his mother, Louise Morrow, of Kalispell; his wife and best friend, Randee, of Lakeside; their daughter, Maren, and her husband Aaron King, and their children, Sadee and Jonathan of Ferndale; his sister, Cheryl Main, of Newman Lake, Wash.; sister, Jeanie, and Dan Stetler of Kalispell, and children, Michele Beck of Connecticut, and Sarah and Dan Fjheld, and their son Gabe; brother, Bob, and Kelly Morrow, and their daughters, Jemma and Julia, all of Kalispell; brother-in-law, Dennis Redpath, and his family, Monica Bradford and Dennis Jr.; brother-in-law, Frank, and Sherry Stein; sister-in-law, Janet, and Dan Bourne, and their family, Shannie Heston and Corrie Bourne; numerous other aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews; and too many other friends to mention. He will be loved, respected and greatly missed by all those he has left behind. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, at the Somers Middle School gymnasium, with Dennis Reese, pastor of the Lakeside Community Church, officiating, with a reception immediately following the service. To send condolences to the family, please go to www.buffalohillfh.com. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home is caring for the family.