My grandfather, Joseph T. “Joe” Morley passed away on the evening of December 31st, 2018 finally losing his on again/off again battle with cancer. He will be missed most for his kindness and smart-aleck sense of humor.

Joe was born September 2nd, 1930 in Kansas City, Kansas, the middle child of Hazel G. (Dove) Morley and Oscar G. Morley. He attended Argentine High School. He was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Ann M. (Stimetz) Morley, whom he married in 1951. Joe is survived by his only child Michelle A. Morley, son-in-law Rodney D. Sheumaker, his only grandchild Felicia (Sheumaker) Kelly, and Jacqueline Cannon his lifelong good friend and companion of his last seven years.

Joe joined the Air Force at the age of 18 and served in Korea. I know he met my grandmother around this time. My grandmother was Catholic and he converted to Catholicism in the Air Force. His faith  was very important to him and I attended church with him and my grandmother several times, including Christmas services. He said many times “I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.” For many years he was a member and regular attendee of Queen of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in  Overland Park, Kansas.

The thing I remember most about my grandfather is that he was always moving. If he wasn’t getting ready to go to work he was mowing the lawn. If he wasn’t mowing the lawn he was checking his tomato plants. If he wasn’t checking his tomato plants and cursing the squirrels he was doing laundry. Or dishes. It makes sense, since he started working on a paper route at a very young age, that he would always be on the move. I don’t know if he was actually capable of slowing down. He retired from Capitol Federal Savings and Loan, where he worked as a mortgage banker until his retirement, but not being able to remain idle he went to work for HyVee as a cashier until his final illness at the age of 87.

I’m pretty sure the only times he stopped moving were to read the newspaper or watch the ball game. I remember sitting in the living room in the morning while he drank coffee and read the paper cover to cover, while listening to country music. I also remember him watching everything from baseball to football to hockey to car racing. He loved cars! His first car was a ’38 Hudson which his father helped buy at the age of 14. “You had a license at the age of 14?” “I had a license at the age of 12,” he said. He owned many cars throughout his life and would speak fondly of each, like one would speak of a lost loved one or former girlfriend. His love of sports extended to hunting and fishing in his younger days and even as he grew older he was a gun aficionado and liked to target shoot at The Bullet Hole in Mission, Kansas.

I think everyone who knew my grandfather knows he loved to joke and tease. He liked to go out to eat and always had coffee at the end of a meal. Apple pie and vanilla ice cream was his favorite dessert. He loved to be with his family and all of my mother’s cousins loved “Uncle Joe.” My grandmother threw him a surprise party for his 70th birthday and I don’t think I’ve ever seen him more tickled. I know he will truly be missed.  If you would like to honor Joe’s memory, please make a donation in   is name to Queen of the Holy Rosary Church in Overland Park, KS or the American Cancer Society.