Michael Morris

On July 20 we said goodbye to Michael James Morris – a respected leader and a man of faith who believed in service to our community. Michael passed away peacefully at his home in San Luis Obispo, surrounded by family.

Michael Morris was born on October 10, 1945, in San Francisco to Harry and Anne Morris. In 1948, Harry, Anne, Greg and Michael moved to San Luis Obispo. By the time Michael graduated from Mission Central Catholic High School in 1963, he had developed an abiding fondness for San Luis Obispo that would never diminish.

Michael’s love of learning and his ambition to become a lawyer led him to attend Georgetown University and the University of San Francisco School of Law. Michael served as an officer in the United States Army from 1970 to 1972. Upon his discharge he returned to his beloved San Luis Obispo where he would spend the rest of his life. He had the great fortune to join the law firm founded by Peter Andre. Michael spent his entire professional career practicing law in the same firm, which eventually came to be known as Andre, Morris & Buttery. For more than 50 years he served individuals, local businesses, non-profit organizations, and large multi-national companies, giving each the same care, respect and thoughtful advice. He worked tirelessly on behalf of his clients, who depended upon his impeccable judgment to guide them through challenging and complex situations.

Michael was a perfect gentleman in every endeavor. His strong moral compass and deep empathy guided his interactions with everyone. A lawyer’s lawyer, Michael advanced the legal profession in many ways, including through his service on the State Bar of California’s Board of Trustees. Michael brought business acumen and strategic counsel to his roles as Chairman of Heritage Oaks Bank and Lead Director of NioCorp Developments.

Michael had a lifelong commitment to the service of others. On any given Saturday you could find him serving as a lector or eucharistic minister at 5:30 mass at the Old Mission. He provided countless hours of free legal services to the community over his career. And he offered his time and wisdom to a host of community organizations, including as President of the Board of the San Luis Coastal Unified School District, as President of the Foundation for the Performing Arts Center, and as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation for the Diocese of Monterey. He was the recipient of numerous awards for his service to the community and the legal profession, and he was named San Luis Obispo’s Citizen of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce in 2004.

Michael is survived by his wife, Sandy; his children: Kevin (Susanne), Colin (Andrea), Kaci Williams (Claiborne) and Keli Lane (Doug); his grandchildren: Rowan, Dashiell, Borne, Mercer, Piper, Blake, Gavin and Elliot; his nieces and nephews: Kelly Morris, Brendan

Morris, Kerry Morris, Patrick Morris, Elisa Graceffo, Kenna Klosterman, Maura Klosterman-Vu, Christopher Manteuffel, and Rachel Manteuffel.

A vigil will be held at 6 PM on Wednesday, August 6th at Reis Family Mortuary. The following morning, Thursday, August 7th, a Celebration of Life will take place at 10 AM at Old Mission Church, preceded by an honor guard ceremony at 9:45 AM. A reception will immediately follow at the Madonna Inn. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Mission College Preparatory Catholic High School, the Foundation for the Diocese of Monterey, or No Kid Hungry.