Morris was born in 1932, deep in South Louisiana and is proud of his Cajun Ancestry. He served four years in the Air Force during the beginning of the Korean War, serving as an Aircraft Bombing Specialist Crew Chief. After his hitch in the Air Force, he attended and graduated from Louisiana State University with an Engineering Degree. He subsequently attended various Universities and ultimately acquired a Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering.
He was hired by the Western Electric Co. to design and develop Anti-Submarine Warfare equipment. This led to his participation in the Bermuda sea trials during the U.S. – Russian Cuban Missile Crisis of the early 1960s.
Morris’s Judo career began around 1966 while living in Burlington,
N. C. After a short period under the tutelage of Sensei Tom Mayerchak, Morris became the instructor of the eponymous Burlington Judo Club of North Carolina. The club grew while Morris gained more experience from other Judo masters. He secured his Shodan Belt in 1974 while mostly practicing under the guidance of Sensei Roger Rodolphe and other local instructors. On occasion, he made frequent trips to SHUFU headquarters for additional instruction.
Morris currently holds the rank of Godan. Around 1996, he was certified as a National Referee, becoming one of only six in the state of North Carolina. He semi-retired from active Judo in 1990, ending the Burlington Judo Club after 24 years of service. However, Judo is still in his blood, and at 80 years of age, is the oldest Judoka in North Carolina still working on the mat, helping as an instructor with the Bushido Judo Club of Durham, N. C.
