John Elmer (Big John) Morris
Kootenai Valley Times - October 6, 1994
John Elmer (Big John) Morris died on October 3 at his Highland Flats area home near Naples. Funeral Services were held on October 3 at 7:00 p.m. in the Bonners Ferry Funeral Home at Bonners Ferry. Burial was in the McArthur Cemetery near Naples.
John was bom on June 25, 1914 in Albuquerque, New Mexico to John Madison and Mary Estella Morris. His father John died the month before he was born. He grew up in Jemez, New Mexico. On May 20, 1937 John married Erma Wells in Terrero, New Mexico.
John worked in the silver mines n and around the Terrero, New Mexico and Wallace & Mullen, Idaho areas. After moving to Highlands Flats he farmed and logged and for many years worked for Boundary County.
"Big John" as he was known to most of the residents of Boundary County, will be remembered for his dedication to his work. He frequently worked 24-48 hours straight, plowing out snow bound County roads. In the many years he worked for the county he also built numerous roads both as a grader operator and as a cat operator.
John was a member of the Highland Flats Grange.
John is survived by two daughters, Erma Peterson of Naples and Ginger Fulop of Mission, B.C. Canada; four grandsons, Shane and Scott Peterson and Tony and Joey Fulop; three great grandchildren, Amanda, Tabitha and Joshua Fulop, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
John was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, parents, sister Evelyn and two brothers, George and Pat.
