Lawrence Morrill

Lawrence Morrill, 81, died Nov. 26, 2016 at the Immanuel Lutheran Home in Kalispell. Larry was born April 12, 1935 in Canada and was naturalized in Libby. His first two years of school were at the Manicke one-room schoolhouse near McGinnis Meadows. Later he moved to Troy where his stepfather, Kyle Beebe, was assistant forest ranger in charge of the German prisoners of war. He remembers watching them play soccer, and rescuing him and two other Troy boys from the Kootenai River after they swam to a sandy island and couldn’t get back. His education continued when he moved, during fifth grade, to Libby where he graduated from high school in 1953.

After marrying his high-school sweetheart, Gloria Preston, they left Libby for 50 years but came back home to retire in 2007. During those years — he was a student pastor in Park City while completing Rocky Mountain College in Billings; and the minister at Portage-Park Methodist Church in Chicago while attending Garrett Seminary at Northwestern University. While in Chicago he became a father as he welcomed his two children, David and Dara, into the world. After starting a mission church in Billings Heights, he and his family moved near Sacramento, Calif. where he accepted a teaching position and a Sunday pastorate at Dutch Flat, Calif. He taught in junior high and high school, and eventually became a high school principal. Later his adventurous nature led him to establish his own correspondence Real Estate School in California.

Upon retiring he enjoyed going to Happy’s Inn to have breakfast, telling jokes and stories, solving problems with the guys, and plowing snow with his Ranger. He also appreciated the inspiring people living around the Thompson Chain of Lakes area.

Larry was very proud of his two children and their spouses—David (Lori) Morrill and Dara (Brett) Favero, as well as his eight grandchildren; two of his granddaughters have blessed him with eight great-grandchildren, all are from California; his sibling survivors, who were raised in Libby, include Joyce Gahan and Bill Morrill from California and John K. Beebe from Libby.

Larry will be missed by many in both Montana and California.

Arrangements are by Schnackenberg & Nelson Funeral Home & Crematory in Libby. Online condolences and memories may be shared at www.schnackenbergfh.com.