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Donald Gillis Morrison, age 101, passed away peacefully on June 10, 2026.

Born in Limon, Colorado, at his family’s home, on April 5, 1925, the 6th child of Laura Etta Knapp Morrison and Rodney Campbell Morrison.

Born in the depression, during “Hard Times”, on a farm south of Limon, Don was an athlete and worked to get good grades so he could play Football, Basketball and run Track. He once said that he went out for basketball to have hot showers.

Part of the greatest generation, Don signed up for his military service before his 18th birthday so he could choose the branch he wanted, ultimately selecting the Army Air Force. One of his stories is about training and practicing “air flights” in the desert by riding in the bed of a pick-up truck going 65 miles an hour.

Don served as a Nose Gunner and Bombardier in a B-17 Bomber. He was stationed in England, at Rattlesden airbase, arriving there on December 23, 1944.

His first mission was on January 14, 1945, in Operation Overlord, which provided support for the Battle of the Bulge to cut-off the German supply lines. His brother Ken was in the ground forces in the Battle of the Bulge and was wounded by shrapnel. Unbelievably, a fragment pierced a letter in Ken’s breast pocket that Don had written to him and possibly saved his life. Don didn’t know his service was helping protect his brother.

Five of his first six missions had issues (landing with only 3 engines, landing gear issues, etc).

Each and every one of the B-17 Bomber missions had a 50% survival rate. Don lost many friends in battle. Due to the incredibly high attrition rate, Don’s crew #38 became the lead plane in a very short while.

Don flew 20 combat missions over Germany and France. He also flew a number of humanitarian missions over France, dropping supplies to the famished French people.

Following Victory in Europe Day on May 8, 1945, his Crew 38 was retired on July 9, 1945. VE Day could not have come soon enough, by the end of the War there were German jets in the air and the B17’s and their Mustang escorts were no match for fighter jets.

Don returned Stateside for the long trip back to Limon. He could have taken a train, which would have been faster, but instead chose a week’s long bus ride home to save money. No one was expecting him when he arrived in Limon. He said he “looked like a sad-sack satchel.”

A few weeks after arriving home, Don was to report for duty on August 14, 1945, to ship out to fight on the Pacific front. Miraculously, Japan surrendered the day before, and Don was discharged. He had done more than his duty for the Country he loved. He would say he served his Country for 2 years, 4 months, 8 days, and 5 minutes!

Helen and Don met in 1948 when she arrived on the train in Limon to be a school teacher and experience the Rocky Mountains. She stayed in Don’s mother’s boarding house. Don was trying to meet Helen and had his first chance when they were both in the Limon Post Office. Always a gentleman, Don introduced himself. The response was not what he was hoping for, Helen merely asked “Don who?” and showed no interest in him. But that soon changed and the two started dating. After 18 months of dating and Helen’s ultimatum that she was moving back to New Orleans if Don didn’t propose, Don quickly solved that problem; they were married on May 26, 1950.

Don started his career by buying a local filling station in Limon with $141 in his pocket. In a short period of time, Don expanded the business and became a fuel distributor, sending tanker trucks to the refineries in Denver supplying fuel to farmers and ranchers on the Eastern Plains. Don ran the business for 78 years and was still working 5 days a week until just recently. His precious Grandson, Sam Williams, has been learning the business at his grandfather’s side these last six years.

Don was extremely involved in the Limon Community. He was a life long member of the United Methodist Church and was involved and participated for 101 years. He was on the Limon Town Council, a Volunteer Fireman, and a huge supporter of Limon High School athletics. He was one of the founders of the Limon Country Club which is now the Tamarac Golf Club. He was also a lifetime member of the Rotary Club. He was very supportive of the Lincoln County Fair, squiring his daughter Nancy and her horses, Gus and Shadow, to a plethora of events as well as supporting his friends and customer’s children in 4-H Club by buying their animals at auction. In addition, he was on the Colorado Highway Board of Transportation, appointed by Governors Roy Romer and Bill Owens. He served for 16 years, and during his tenure the Eisenhower and Johnson tunnels were constructed. He was very involved in the Colorado Petroleum Marketers Association and was the president in 1985. He actively championed the Ports to Plains Federal High Priority Corridor.

Don had a zest for life, frequently telling his doctors that he wanted to live because he still had too much to do. He was a consummate gentleman with a twinkle in his eye, he loved to laugh, dance, and make others smile. He adored his wife and family. And when he said he still had too much to do, what he meant most was that he wanted to be here for Helen and continue caring for his soulmate.

He was preceded in death by his parents; seven siblings, Dorothy, Laura (Babe), Kenneth, Marian, Margaret, Betty, and Robert; and their baby boy, Gillis Davis Morrison.

Don is survived by his devoted wife of 76 years, Helen Calder Davis Morrison; daughters Susan Morrison Williams, Wendy Morrison Sulzer and husband, Victor Sulzer, and Nancy Morrison; his precious grandchildren, Samuel Morrison Williams and his love, Tori Schramm, and Henrietta Calder Thompson and her husband, Bryan Thompson, and their beautiful children, Don’s great grandchildren, Morrison (Sonny) Matthew Thompson and Louise Calder Thompson.

The funeral service was held at the Limon High School gym June 17, 2026. The burial followed at the Pershing Cemetery in Limon.

Donations in Don’s honor can be made to:

1) the Limon Education Foundation (www.LimonEducationFoundation.org),

2) New Hugo Hospital. Send a check to The Hugo Hospital, attn: Kevin Stansbury, P.O. Box 248, Hugo, CO 80821. Specify “New Facility” in the check memo.

3) Tunnel to Towers Foundation (www.T2T.org). Since 9/11, T2T has been helping America’s heroes by providing mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children and by building specially-adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders. We are also committed to eradicating veteran homelessness and helping America to Never Forget September 11, 2001. The organization is also committed to eradicating veteran homelessness and helping America to Never Forget September 11, 2001.

A life well lived, truly a Legend.

Arrangements were under the direction of Love Funeral Homes.