Danny Morrow

Danny Fred Morrow of Graford, Texas died April 24, 2013. He was 73 years old. Although he held several different jobs and lived various places, Dan's true home was always, Graford, where he lived and served the community from behind the counters at Morrow Grocery and Market. A jack of all trades and master of any he truly wanted to master, Dan learned much from his family including unselfish service, community, humility, scholarship, and responsibility; in turn, Dan passed such traits along to all who came his way. Dan was born on October 3, 1939 to Horace Harrison and Grace Lou Erwin Morrow in Graford. He attended school at Graford graduating in 1957. After high school he attended Tarleton State College then graduated from Texas A&M with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Class of 1961. Dan served in the United States Marine Corp reaching the rank of Captain. He worked as a Professional Civil Engineer in the Dallas Fort Worth area during the 1960's. The early 1970's found Dan in Graford at the store. Morrow Grocery was started by his father in 1944 and is still operating today. For the next 40 odd years Dan worked in the store with his father, his brother, Erwin, sister-in-law, Judy, Wimpy Gillespie, Natalie Chaney, Dalton Freeman, and many others. To say that Dan worked in the store for years does not adequately describe what he did or how valuable a community member he was. Dan served the community in ways too numerous to count. In times of difficulty, Dan would always offer a helping hand. Ralph Waldo Emerson described best what seems to have ultimately been the focus of Dan's life. "The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well." Dan was a member of the Texas A&M Ex-Students Association, and the Graford Lions Club. He was known as a willing sponsor/participant/supporter of most community activities and civic projects. He served on the Graford Board of Trustees for12 years. He attend the First United Methodist Church of Graford. Dan was a lifelong reader of books, a lover of the written word, and a day did not go by that Dan did not learn something new. Dan is survived by his daughter, Lisa Block of Parker, Colorado and husband, Gary, and their daughters Lauren and Hannah, his brother Jim Morrow and wife, Billie of Austin, Texas, another brother, Bill Morrow and his wife, Betty of Tulsa, Oklahoma, sister-in-law, Judy Morrow of Graford and sister, Carolyn Cooper of Mineral Wells. Dan loved and was loved by his surviving nieces and nephews, Candy Cernigliaro, Riley Couger, Crager Couger, John Morrow, Julie Jansen, Joe Morrow, Jane Beasley, Greg Morrow, Erwin Morrow, Bradley Morrow, Mindy Atchley, Sam Morrow, Patti Davis, Cara Shoemaker, and Erin Ralph and their families. He leaves behind a legion of others, friends, relatives, cronies, associates, buddies, Aggies, teachers, classmates, strangers, old & young, whose lives either touched or were touched by Dan's. Dan was preceded in death by his mother and father, his sister and her husband, Sammy and Jack Couger, and his brother, Erwin. There will be a visitation Friday, April 26, 2013 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Baum-Carlock-Bumgardner Funeral Home Services will be held Saturday afternoon, April 27, 2013, beginning at 2:00 p.m. in the Graford School Gymnasium with (Rev.) Barry Holmes presiding. Internment will follow at Woodland Park Cemetery in Mineral Wells. Contributions may be made to: Dan Morrow Scholarship Fund, 200 N. Main, Graford, TX 76449