Gary Wayne Morris, 59

The world lost a kind and talented musician on May 14, 2012. Gary Wayne Morris passed away unexpectedly at home due to complications of diabetes.

Many will remember Gary riding his bike or walking throughout the valley, always ready with a smile and a compliment. He loved music, people and Glacier National Park.  

He was born Oct. 24, 1952, and grew up in Hacienda Heights near Los Angeles, playing trumpet in the high school marching band. He earned a bachelor's degree in geography, but his lifelong passion was music. His summers were spent hitchhiking around the country, trusting that he would find friends and sustenance on the road, eventually visiting every state in the continental U.S. and later, Hawaii, as well.

In 1977, he moved to the Flathead Valley with his lifelong friend Chuck, soon joining with other young musicians to form the Hash Mountain Boys, a popular Bluegrass band that toured Montana and western Canada. Gary married Teri (Vehrs) Vore in 1989, and they had a daughter, Callie Rose, in 1993. Gary was devoted to raising Callie, and could often be seen pedaling around town with her on the back of his bike.  

 One of Gary's greatest joys was playing music with other people, and exploring different styles and genres. He was an original member of the Empty Pocket String Band, the Fabulous Employees, Bierstube Orchestra, Grin and Bear It String Clan, the Stringlers, Tropical Montana Marimba Ensemble, and most recently Tra le Gael. His musical abilities ranged from Celtic to cowboy, soul to swing music, and rock ‘n’ roll to old time. He was foremost a guitar player, but he mastered many instruments, and his smooth trumpet was welcome in any jam. Gary had the gift of music which he loved to share. He was an inspiration and a kind person, encouraging others to spread their musical wings. There are not many musicians in the Flathead who haven't played a tune or 10 with Gary, and they will remember his calm ecstasy, his sometimes slyly humorous take on a tune or a lick, and the depth of his musicianship as they created music together.

He was a prolific writer of tunes and songs, with lyrics that expressed his optimism and hope that never faded. He would often write songs for the people he loved, and his answering machine message was always a ditty he'd written and sung, harmonious and often hilarious.  

Gary worked for several years at Flathead Industries, playing songs for the people he worked with and treating them as friends and peers, greeting them as their friend when meeting them on the street years later. His love of sharing music naturally lead to teaching, and his patient nature shone. He taught private lessons in guitar, mandolin, banjo and anything else anyone wanted to learn, as well as becoming the Kila School music teacher in 2003.  

He worked hard to earn his teaching certification long after he'd already become a popular classroom teacher, and went on to earn his Master of Music Education in order to expand his offerings at Flathead Valley Community College. He has been an adjunct faculty member for many years at FVCC, teaching guitar and music history, and more recently, methods classes to aspiring teachers. He worked all of these jobs while playing music in various bands and forever teaching himself to play new instruments, as well as raising his talented daughter.    

Gary was preceded in death by his father, James Morris, and his sister, Sherry Bridges.

His kind words, good humor, and beautiful music will be missed by his mother Lylla, daughter Callie, his partner Barbara Calm, and a myriad of friends, students and fans. A choir concert at Flathead High School at 7 p.m. this Tuesday, May 22, is dedicated to him.

Memorial contributions can be sent to Flathead Valley Community College for a music scholarship to be set up in Gary's memory.

Burial has taken place at Bethel Cemetery in Somers. A celebration of Gary's life will be held on June 23 at FVCC, followed by a weekend sharing music and potluck at Stillwater Landing north of Whitefish.

 “When our paths cross again, we won't be strangers, we'll be friends. We'll be friends when our paths cross again.

“We miss you and love you, Gary.”