Herbert Morice

Herbert O. Morice

CHARLESTON - Herbert Oscar Hille Morice, age 92, has moved on as of June 20, 2019. A Celebration of Life for colleagues, friends and family will take place on Saturday, July 20, 2019 from 2:00-4:00pm at Harper Swickard Funeral Home, 720 Monroe Avenue, Charleston, Illinois.

Herb was born in Festus, Missouri to Lillian Hildegard Hille and Willis Bernard Morice on September 26,1926.

His strong desire for knowledge and understanding led him to many titles and accomplishments.  An avid high school athlete in Crystal City, Missouri, he enlisted to the Navy Air Corps in February 1944. Herb earned his Bachelors (Psychology/Biology) in 1948 from Tarkio College in Missouri and his Masters at George Peabody College in Tennessee. In 1951 while attending Peabody, Herb encountered, Suzanne Rogers, the perfect companion and wife of 56 years until her passing in 2008.

Herb worked as a school psychologist in Mason City, Iowa where he and Sue started raising their family of five children and multiple pets. Stephen Rogers Morice, Waverley Lynne Morice (David Blausey) and Lawrence Bernard Morice (deceased) were born prior to Dr. Morice attaining his E.D. from University of Houston, Texas in 1963. Kathryn Ann Morice (Andrew Gage) and James Herbert Morice rounded out the family when Herb was directing school psychology and special education programs for Pittsburg State College in Kansas.

Herb began a 20+ year career at Eastern Illinois University as professor and director of School Psychology in 1967. Support of community guided him to directing clinical services for CCAR and consulting at Vandalia Correctional Center and Head Start in Coles, Edgar and Lawrence counties. A sabbatical leave in 1976-77 enticed the family to wander westward for a State Department of Instruction post working on the Blackfeet and Crow Reservations in Montana. Upon retiring from Eastern in 1988 Herb and Sue moved to Lewisburg, Tennessee where his love of teaching continued at Columbia State and Middle Tennessee State University.

Sculpting the estate and downsizing travel trailers from the family’s numerous escapades became their passion. Herb and Sue ventured throughout North America and Europe with Suz navigating. They made lasting acquaintances everywhere. Herb and Sue would also join lifelong friends on Elderhostel trips and visit family anywhere. They toured Florida to Minnesota to spend precious time with grandsons James Lawrence Morice and Nolan Regan Morice (Elizabeth).

 An abundance of loving, learning and laughing contributed greatly to his wonderful journey through life.

Memorials may be made to Coles Animal Rescue and Education, Eastern Illinois University Psychology Department, or the Parkinson’s Foundation.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Herbert Morice, please visit our floral store.