In Memoriam - Merle Elgin Morris
4/16/10

CSPD Executive Director, Dr. Ray Stewart,  regrets to inform the public and our membership of the recent death of Dr. Merle E. Morris at age 88 in Orinda California. Dr. Morris is remembered by many as the founder of the original Division of Pedodontics at the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF), and for the initial accreditation of the Advanced Education Program in Pediatric Dentistry at the UCSF School of Dentistry. Dr. Morris was a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and a Charter Member of CSPD. Below, please find the Obituary which appeared last week and requests that donations in lieu of flowers be made to the, Merle E. Morris Fund in Pediatric Dentistry at UCSF.

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Merle Elgin Morris
April 3, 1921 – March 21, 2010
Resident of Orinda  

Merle Elgin Morris, age 88, died Sunday, March 21, 2010. He was born April 3, 1921 in Orderville, Utah to Elgin Henry and Julia Esplin Morris. He married Pearl Carpenter June 23, 1942 in the St. George LDS Temple.  

A 1954 graduate of the University of California San Francisco School of Dentistry, Merle practiced pediatric dentistry for over 40 years in the Bay Area. He retired as a Tenured Clinical Professor of Pediatric Dentistry at UCSF (having served as chair of the Division of Pediatric Dentistry at the UCSF School of Dentistry). During his service at UCSF, he was responsible for the formation of the original Division of Pedodontics and for the development and initial accreditation of the Advanced Education Program in Pediatric Dentistry. He was a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and a charter member of the California Society of Pediatric Dentistry.  

He served in the Air Force during World War II. As part of his service, he particularly cherished his years contributing to the rebuilding of Japan and had the pleasure of sharing this experience with his wife and first child. His ties with Japan remained strong, and he returned there many times to lecture and teach at various dental institutions, including the Fukuoka Dental College. Additionally, he had lecture and teaching opportunities in Mexico, Peru, Israel and Yugoslavia.  

For many years, Dr. Morris worked with his UCSF colleagues in mobile dental clinics to bring dental health care to migrant farm workers in California’s Central Valley as well as kibbutzim in Israel, and communities in the former Yugoslavia. 

After his retirement, Merle continued his association with the university and as a member of the attending dental staff of Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Oakland. He was active in his church and was involved for years with the Boy Scouts of America.  

He is survived by his wife, Pearl. His children are Victoria Ann Gould, who predeceased him; Merle Elgin Morris, Jr. (Mel), Fort Worth, Texas; Linda Marie Morris, Orinda; Arlynn Morris Chen, Elk Grove; James Richard Morris, Emeryville; Lawrence Rodney Morris, Spring, Texas; and Jon Robert Morris, Vancouver, Washington. He is also survived by nineteen grandchildren and six great grandchildren. 

Funeral services will be held Friday, March 26, 2010 at 11:00 AM at the Moraga Ward Chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 3776 Via Granada, Moraga where friends may call from 10:00 to 10:45 AM prior to the services. 

Donations in Merle's honor in lieu of flowers may be made payable to: The Regents of UC, Merle E Morris Fund in Pediatric Dentistry and sent to the attention of:

Marina Dronsky PhD
Manager-Dept. of Orofacial Sciences School of Dentistry,
Box 0422
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, CA, 94143-0422  

 

 

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