Theodore Archibald Morrison, 85

Theodore ("Ted") Archibald Morrison passed away in Petersburg, Alaska on May 19, 2014, with his beloved wife and children at his bedside.

Ted was born to Alex and Carrie Morrison in Bellingham, Wash. on January 7, 1929. He was raised with his brothers and sister on the family farm at Deer Harbor on Orcas Island, Wash.

As soon as he was able, he began driving a truck to help with chores on the farm. He was so little that he had to have the pedals extended with blocks of wood secured by wire. When he got older, he worked with his father in the pea fields and hauling wood.

Later, he worked with a carpenter and began what would become his lifelong trade in construction. Ted was always interested in what made things work, which led him to learn how to wire, plumb, and install furnaces.

Ted met Jacqueline Jackson on Orcas Island; they married on September 12, 1948. He was 19; she was 18. They eventually bought a house ("The Farm") in Everett, Wash., and raised their daughter and four sons there. Ted loved his family dearly. He helped teach his children how to work and passed his trade skills onto them; three of his sons ended up going into the construction industry, as well.

In 1973, Ted and Jackie moved to Alaska because they discovered that Petersburg was where they wanted to settle. They bought property at Scow Bay and began to build their first warehouse. Jackie convinced Ted that he could add a small apartment on the second floor. They lived there until 2001, when their sons built them a single-story house on the same property but closer to the beach. Ted spent many hours sitting in his living room enjoying the view down Wrangell Narrows and watching all the marine activity that takes place on Alaskan waters.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Alex and Carrie; brothers, John and Bill; sister, Jane; and son, Michael.

Ted is survived by his wife of 65 years, Jackie Morrison; daughter, Cherie (Collin) Martens; son, Ted (Cher) Morrison; son, Tom (Rose) Morrison; son, Cris (Cris)Morrison; grandchildren Jeremy Morrison, Tricia O'Neal, Katherine Tranter, Cindy Lybarger, Heather O'Neill, Blair Martens, Brian Martens, Collin Brandon Martens, Daniel Morrison, Jenna Morrison, Barry Morrison, Crista Voigt, Eric Morrison, and Blake Morrison; and many great-grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life will be held on a date yet to be determined.