Mr. Jimmy Zane Morris

Jimmy Zane Morris, who served as Berwick's fire chief and was the borough's emergency management director for 33 years, died Tuesday at the Geisinger Medical Center in Danville following a short illness. He was 84. At the time of his death, he was a Briar Creek Township supervisor and a member of the Berwick Area Joint Sewer Authority, serving for 18 years in each post. He was born in Foundryville on Oct. 23, 1933, a son of the late James and Geraldine Bower Morris. Jimmy was a proud and dedicated blue-collar worker, even after rheumatoid arthritis ravaged his hands as a young man. He retired from PennDOT nearly 20 years ago. He was also a milkman for Breisch's Dairy, a baker at Vaughn's, a line worker at Wise Chips, a construction worker and a steelworker. He was a foreman at Berwick's U.S. Steel plant when it closed, but chose temporary unemployment over a similar job with the company in Texas because he didn't want to move away from his widowed mother. In addition to his emergency services work, he was active in many local service and fraternal organizations. He served as Governor of the Loyal Order of the Moose and Exalted Ruler of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks, both in Berwick. He was also a member of the Masonic Knapp Lodge 462 F&AM and a life member of the Ranger Hose Company of Berwick. He was chairman of the board of trustees at St. Paul's United Methodist Church of Berwick, was on the board of directors of the Berwick Red Cross and was active with the Boy Scouts of America and the United Way. Jimmy was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving stateside during the Korean Conflict. He was also a musician, playing the drums in the Berwick High School band, and with a local band, The Travelers. He usually wasn't much for singing, except for early rock and roll songs that required his energetic if not-always-on-pich falsetto. His passions were Berwick football and telling embellished stories. Anyone who knew Jim for more than a few hours had their legged pulled or heard one or more of his tall tales. His grandson, Kyle, hit the nail on the head early on, when he asked, "How do you know when Poppy is fibbing? His lips are moving." He also spent a number of years as Santa's "helper" in Berwick, investing a small fortune in an authentic red suit and lifelike beard. That side career ended soon after one grandson crawled into his lap in Santa's shack in downtown Berwick and whispered, "Hi, Poppy." In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, the former Martha Ann Miller, in 2011, and a brother, William, who died in infancy. Survivors include sons, David, of Gaithersburg, Md., and his wife Jodie; Kevin, of Shickshinny, and his wife Holly; and daughter Lisa Briggs, of Slocum, and her husband Richard Briggs Jr.; grandchildren Ryan Morris, Kyle Morris and his wife, Ashley, Kristin Briggs Duskasky and her husband, Joseph, and Richard Briggs III and his wife, Sherre; and four great-grandchildren, Dakota, Taylor, Hallie and Jayde, with another on the way. A viewing will be held 6-8 PM, Friday, December 29 at the Kelchner-McMichael-Baker Funeral Home, 119-121 East Third Street, Berwick. Jimmy's funeral service will be conducted at 11 AM, Saturday, December 30, also at the funeral home, with family friends Pastor Bob Thomas of Mount Zion United Church of Christ, Slocum, and the Reverend Deacon David Lapinski of Our Lady of Victory Roman Catholic Church of State College officiating. An honor guard will be provided by Ranger Hose Co. Burial will follow in Pine Grove Cemetery, Walnut Street, Berwick, with a memorial arch formed by two local ladder company trucks. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Jim and Martha Morris Travel Fund, started by his children several years ago to provide travel assistance to student journalists at Penn State. Checks made out to Penn State may be mailed to the Jim and Martha Morris Travel Fund, Penn State University, 2583 Gateway Drive, Suite 200, State College, PA 16801.