From fighting fires in rural Collin County to patrolling the globe aboard some of the nation’s most impressive aircraft carriers, Kim Roger Morris’ life of public service was certainly broad and full of adventure.
But like many in public service, Morris never bragged about his overseas exploits or boasted of his latest life-saving rescue.
For Morris, it was all in a day's work.
The beloved former Farmersville Fire Chief, who retired in late 2021 after guiding the department for more than 15 years, died unexpectedly Sunday after suffering a heart attack.
He was 71.
Born in the small Southern California town of Artesia on October 13, 1951, Kim was the second of five boys born to Lloyd Elvin and Marcella Rose Morris. After graduating from Bloomington High School in San Bernardino County in the late 1960s, Kim met and married Sharon Rae in June 1970.
The young couple soon moved to North Texas, where Kim pursued his life’s passion to be a firefighter, completing training and joining the McKinney Fire Department in 1972, For the next 8 years, Morris worked in various roles at the department, including firefighter, paramedic and hazardous waste containment - skills that would come in useful years later upon assuming the role of Farmersville Fire Chief.
In 1982, to support his growing family, Morris joined the U.S. Navy and was soon back in California, serving aboard behemoth aircraft carriers USS Kitty Hawk and USS Ranger, both based in San Diego.
This service sent him on extended trips across the Pacific, patrolling volatile zones around the waters of the Western Pacific Ocean, where submarines plied the waters at the height of the Cold War.
After being honorably discharged in 1988, Kim and his family returned to North Texas, where he and Sharon settled in the historic community of Farmersville to raise their growing family, which now included 4 daughters.
But the call to serve remained strong, and Morris accepted a volunteer position with the Farmersville Fire Department in 1997, which served the town and its surrounding agricultural communities. Within a few years, the volunteer work led to a full-time position and in 2006, he was promoted to Chief.
During his tenure, Morris is credited with helping modernize the department, bringing in new equipment and personnel to handle growing responsibilities. As chief, Morris oversaw a region bordering some of the nation’s fastest-growing communities, including Frisco and McKinnney.
By reorganizing the department and upgrading its facilities, Morris ensured a modern force to meet the future needs of eastern Collin County.
Morris is survived by wife Sharon Rae; daughters Kathy Hanson, Sherrie Steele, Kandi Taylor and Christina Delgado; brother Joe; 9 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents and brothers Alan, Bobby, and Scott.
A viewing will be held from 5 to 7pm at Hurst's Fielder Baker funeral home, 107 N. Washington St. in Farmersville. A public service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday at First Baptist Church of Farmersville, 124 S. Washington St. In Farmersville.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Kim Morris Memorial Fund, c/o Commercial Bank of Texas, 201 S. Highway 78, Farmersville, TX 75442.