A Toledo native and longtime resident of Ann Arbor, Stu Morris passed away on July 22, 2022. He was 64.
Stu was a lifelong learner. An attentive listener to public radio and avid watcher of webcasts, he enjoyed conversing with friends and neighbors about what he’d heard and seen. He spoke to everyone, and was a pleasure to speak with.
Though always clear about his own deeply felt convictions, particularly around women’s rights and racial justice, he was never didactic or judgmental. Stu was genuinely curious about what others thought, and unlike some folks in Ann Arbor, he never pretended to know more than he did, or hesitated to ask a question.
A trained cook whose resume stretched back to the Whiffletree on W. Huron St., Stu shared his gifts freely, hosting his own backyard birthday party at his Avalon Housing apartment on Main St. His many other skills, thoughtful approach, and sophisticated eye were much appreciated by people who lived in the neighborhood and far beyond.
Stu’s intelligence and hard work produced less wealth than they should have. After losing his job and housing due to a mistaken arrest, he was sleeping on an office floor when a place opened for him in Avalon.
He was not an effusive man, but he was always grateful for all that Avalon provided. And though he was not traditionally religious, he credited God for giving him the strength to stop drinking. Decades later, he still faithfully marked his sobriety anniversary.
Stu’s ashes will be scattered in the Atlantic Ocean at a later date. He is survived by his siblings, Candy Hudson, Jeffrey Morris, Robert Morris Jr., and Tracy Martin; nephews Sean Hudson and Marciece Morris; nieces Johari Morris Clark, Evelyn Clark, and Tasia Clark; and six great nephews and three great nieces.
If you would like to make a gift in Stu’s memory, the family suggests that you consider Avalon Housing or the SafeHouse Center.
