Companions and Sir Knights,

Many of you personally knew Brother, Companion and Sir Knight Morse, so I am including a copy of his obituary. He was a true Brother, ready at a minutes notice to take a part in any body he belonged to, be it Lodge, Chapter, Council, Commandery, York Rite Sovereign College, KYCH, Red Cross of Constantine, Scottish Rite or Odd Fellows. Always prepared and a valuable committee member of multiple York Rite Committees. Never arrived to a York Rite Finance Committee meeting without coffee and donuts!

MIC Morse served with distinction as our Most Excellent Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masons of Vermont in 1989, as our Most Illustrious Grand Master of the Grand Council Royal and Select Masters of Vermont in 1995 and as the Right Eminent Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of Vermont, K.T. in 1998.

Companion Bill was awarded the General Grand Chapter Distinguished Service in Bronze medal in 1983 and the Ephrim Kirby Award in 2019. Companion Bill was awarded the Order of the Silver Trowel from the College of Preservation by the Grand Council of Vermont in 2015. Sir Knight Bill was awarded the Knight Commander of the Temple award in 2011. Well deserved and recommended by his fellow Companions and Sir Knights.

Remember Me
by Margaret Mead

To the living, I am gone,
To the sorrowful, I will never return,
To the angry, I was cheated,
But to the happy, I am at peace,
And to the faithful, I have never left.

I cannot speak, but I can listen.
I cannot be seen, but I can be heard.
So as you stand upon a shore gazing at a beautiful sea,
As you look upon a flower and admire its simplicity,
Remember me.

Remember me in your heart:
Your thoughts, and your memories,
Of the times we loved,
The times we cried,
The times we fought,
The times we laughed.
For if you always think of me, I will never have gone.

Willis James Morse
May 23, 1944 – April 30, 2024

Willis James Morse “Bill”, 79, a lifelong resident of Duxbury, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Duxbury. Born in Duxbury on May 23, 1944, he was the son of the late Willis Howard and Barbara Agnes (Callahan) Morse.

Bill was a 1962 graduate of Waterbury High School. He served in United States Army from 1965-1968 and was stationed in Germany during his service. He also served in the Vermont National Guard Reserves. After his military service, he worked for the State of Vermont Transportation Agency’s Right-of-Way Division in Montpelier as the Right-of-Way Division Section Chief, until he retired.

He had a great sense of humor, and loved hunting and fishing, traveling around the state to his many meetings. He also had the pleasure of traveling with his extended family on a few adventures. He loved basketball and volunteered to do the stats for all the division playoffs for high school boy’s and girls’ basketball at the Barre Auditorium, for at least 50 years. He also did stats for WDEV in the past when they broadcast local basketball games.

Bill cared for the Duxbury Corner Cemetery for many years. It was a labor of love that was passed down to him from his father. He also was the Sexton of Hope Cemetery in Waterbury for several years.

His memberships are numerous. Life memberships include Elks #1535 of Barre, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, Past Officers Association Maine #1, Vermont Old Cemetery Association, Duxbury & Warren Historical Societies.

Willis J. Morse, Masonic Memberships: Winooski Lodge #49 Free & Accepted Masons (Past Master), York Rite, Waterbury Chapter, #24, Royal Arch Masons (Past High Priest), Barre Council #22, Royal & Select Masters (Past Thrice Illustrious Master), Mt. Zion Commandery #9, Knights Templar (Past Commander), St. Helena Conclave, Knights of the Red Cross of Constantine (Past Sovereign), Green Mountain York Rite College #139 (Past Governor, Past Grand Governor), Vermont Priory #45, Knights of the York Cross of Honor (Past Prior), Ancient, Accepted Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, Gamaliel Washburn Lodge of Perfection (Past Master), Mt. Calvary Council, Princes of Jerusalem (Past Sovereign Prince), Frank J. Martin Chapter, Rose Croix (Past Master), Vermont Consistory, Coroneted 33 Degree, Mt. Sinai Shriners, Charles B. Adams Chapter, Order of DeMolay (Legion of Honor), Order of the Eastern Star Queen Esther Chapter #7, Internation Order of Odd Fellows Valley Lodge #16. Bill presided over the three Grand York Rite Bodies of Vermont, Grand Chapter, Grand Council and Grand Commandery. He served the Grand Lodge of Vermont as Grand Marshal, District Deputy, Grand Master of District #6 and Grand Senior Deacon.

Bill is survived by his siblings, Joyce Gingras and her husband, Jim, of Berlin, Martha Jillson of Readsboro, Mark Morse and his wife, Bonnie, of South Duxbury, Laura Titus and her husband, Greg, of Waitsfield; brother-in-law Donald Foote; many nieces and nephews and extended family. He is predeceased by 2 sisters, Marjorie Foote and Judy Douglas; 1 brother-in-law, Phillip Jillson; two nephews, Philip Jillson II and Robert Douglas; and 2 nieces, Lisa Jillson and Jennifer Morse.

A memorial service will be held later this summer. For those who wish, memorial gifts would be appreciated to the Duxbury Historical Society, C/O Mark Morse 804 VT Rte. 100 South Duxbury, VT 05660 or Winooski Masonic Lodge #49 scholarship fund, PO Box 186, Waterbury, VT 05676. To send online condolences, please visit www.perkinsparker.com