Tuesday, February 11, 3:00pm, Peter J. Gomes Chapel

James Michael Morrison Obituary

James Michael Morrison, known affectionately as Jim by his loved ones, passed away peacefully on January 7, 2025, in Litchfield, Maine, after a brief battle with pancreatic and biliary cancer. Born on July 3, 1964, in Des Plaines, Illinois, Jim was 60 years old.

Jim is survived by his wife, Sherri Daugherty; their sons, Alec and Sean Morrison; his mother, Marilyn Morrison; and his siblings, Mary (and Jeff) Spino, Kathy (and Dave) Milowski, Julie (and Tremayne) Worsham, and brother Mike Morrison. He will also be fondly remembered by his father-in-law, Gerald Daugherty, as well as his best friend, Javier Schmidt, with whom Jim found a kindred spirit. Jim was preceded in death by his daughter, Kelly Morrison, and his father, James D. Morrison.

Jim’s early years were spent in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, where as a youth, he participated in basketball, baseball and football, serving as the kicker and punter for his high school football team. He cultivated a love for his hometown sports teams, the Bears and the Cubs, regularly practicing humility because of this, but was rewarded with championships by both teams during his lifetime. His passion for Chicago extended to its culinary delights, notably the classic Chicago hotdog, which he relished with great enthusiasm.

Jim’s interest in the natural world was evident from a young age as he began collecting rocks – an interest rekindled years later by a common interest with his father-in-law, Jerry. He spent many happy days mining for minerals, particularly mining copper in the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan. He found joy in gardening – planting numerous perennial beds, multiple types of fruit trees and berries, and nurturing his beloved dahlias. He was a long-time supporter of the American Chestnut Foundation and actively contributed to the revitalization efforts of the American Chestnut tree by planting them prolifically.

Jim held a strong value for family. He was actively involved in coaching both of his sons’ baseball and basketball teams during their early years, and continued to serve as a mentor to Alec throughout his high school baseball career. Jim and Sherri enjoyed exploring the outdoors together and recently were rewarded with an awesome display of the Northern Lights during a camping trip to Nova Scotia – a celebration of their 35th wedding anniversary. Extended family was equally important to Jim as he made time for them a priority, maintaining bi-weekly Zoom meetings started during COVID, and visiting them regularly. Family tradition was highly valued and maintained not only through the cultivation of dahlias (following in his maternal grandfather’s footsteps), but also by the yearly baking and sharing of kolaczkis – a tradition enjoyed by and with his son, Sean – handed down by his Polish grandmother. He also appreciated and celebrated his Scottish heritage from his paternal grandparents, celebrating the Highland Games, adoring the Scottish Highland cattle and even raising Shetland sheep for a period of time.

Jim graduated from James B. Conant High School in Hoffman Estates, Ill in 1982. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Health Sciences from Illinois State University in 1986 and a Master of Science Degree in Environmental Health Sciences from the University of Michigan in 1988. Jim’s professional journey was a testament to his desire to improve the lives of others via a commitment to environmental health and safety. He was actively involved with the Industrial Hygiene Association in Chicago, Wisconsin, and Maine, as well as having served as chair of the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, where his expertise and dedication made a lasting impact. He contributed to the health and safety of Wisconsin families while employed with the Wisconsin Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Safety; provided leadership to the University of WI – Stevens Point and Madison as departmental/unit director; and worked for the betterment of staff and students alike at Bates College in Lewiston, where he served as the Director of Environmental Health and Safety.

Jim wished to thank the patient care teams at Maine General and Maine Medical Center, his friends at Bates, his HR colleagues and especially Andi Lasselle. The family would like to thank Albert and Burpee Funeral Home for their professionalism and going above and beyond; Patti Rooney, HR Director at Bates, for all of her kindness and assistance; and many others in the Bates Community for their help in coordinating the service.

James Michael Morrison’s memory will forever be etched in the hearts of those he touched, and his spirit will continue to shine brightly, like the many gems and treasures he once unearthed. A celebration of Jim’s life will be held for friends and family at the Gomes Chapel on the Bates College Campus in Lewiston, Maine on Tuesday, February 11, 2025 at 3:00 pm. The service will be livestreamed and can be accessed at https://www.bates.edu/memorial/ for those who would like to join virtually. A celebration of life is also planned for a future date in Illinois.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of James, please visit our floral store.