Thomas Morris MD

Thomas Jack Morris, MD passed away peacefully at home with his loved ones on February 8, 2026. He was born July 25, 1942 in Glendale, California. He was the son of Tom Oliver Morris, MD and Kathryn Alda Morris (Hood). He was raised in Carmel, California. He has been a resident of Grants Pass, Oregon for 50 years.

Tom attended Carmel Mission Elementary, Bellarmine College Preparatory School, Santa Clara University, University of California at Davis, University of Hawaii Medical School, and Tulane Medical School (Charity Hospital). He completed his Internal Medicine residency at the University of Southern California (Los Angeles County Hospital).

From 1965 to 1967 Tom served in the Peace Corps working in Malaria Control in Thailand where he met his future wife, Sharon Marie Burke, also a Peace Corps Volunteer working in Village Health. They were married in 1969 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Their first son, David, was born in New Orleans and their second son, Michael, was born in Los Angeles while Tom was in his medical training and residency in Internal Medicine.

In 1975 the young family moved to Grants Pass where Tom was welcomed into practicing Internal Medicine at the Grants Pass Clinic. Tom very much enjoyed practicing medicine with his clinic medical colleagues, nurses and staff, as well as with other physicians in the community. He was very dedicated to his patients whom he cared for during 36 years of practice before he retired from the Grants Pass Clinic in 2011.

Tom volunteered on numerous committees at Josephine Memorial Hospital and Three Rivers/Asante Hospital, Josephine County Public Health Department and Our Valley Clinic which became Siskiyou Community Health Center. He was Medical Director of Oregon Health Management Services and Choices Substance Abuse Counseling and Josephine County Drug Court. He served on numerous committees in Salem working on developing and implementing the Oregon Health Plan.

Tom was also active in numerous outdoor activities. He was a charter member of Southern Oregon Fly Fishers and supported numerous river restoration projects. He rafted the Rogue River and many others rivers in Oregon. He skied with the Grants Pass Nordic Ski Club, became a telemark skier, skiing several times on overnight trips around Crater Lake. He mountain climbed to the tops of many peaks in Oregon and California including Mt. Thielson, Mt. Shasta, and Mt. McLoughlin. Fishing was his passion and place of meditation in nature. He fished many rivers and lakes in Oregon, Montana, Alaska, Florida and numerous places around the world. Tom loved to travel to far away countries to experience their culture, their religious practices and meet their people. Of course, he usually got in a fishing experience as well. Tom was an avid reader and for many years enjoyed a Great Books book club with dear friends.

Along with a busy medical practice, Tom was a supportive and loving husband and father. He taught us a love of the out-of-doors, rafting, skiing, fishing, hiking and camping. Under Tom’s guidance, his sons, David and Michael, became expert river guides, fly casters, and skiers. These skills and Tom’s love of nature are now being passed on to his six grandchildren.

Tom was able to stay at home during his illness with Parkinson’s due to the skills and caring of numerous wonderful personal caregivers. His Riverside Hospice nurses and health aids were each very caring. Tom’s former colleagues at the Grants Pass Clinic were his personal physicians and his personal friends as well. His fellow retired physician friends of many years were frequent visitors. To all we so appreciate their care.

Tom is survived by his loving wife, Sharon and his loving sons, David and Michael, his loving sisters, Janet Morris and Michelle Sokoloski (Don), his brothers, Jim Morris (Sheila) and William Morris (Usha), and his six grandchildren: Andrew, Nolan, Bayden, Presley, Israel, and Isaiah. Also, he is survived by his sister-in-law, Carrie Castle (Gary), and his many nieces, nephews and cousins. He is survived also by our 96-year-old spiritual guru, Sister Claire Moringer. Our family and many dear friends have supported and loved us during Tom’s illness. We are so very grateful.

On Saturday, May 30, 2026 a Funeral Mass is planned at 10:00 a.m., at St. Anne Catholic Church in Grants Pass. Following will be a Celebration of Tom’s Life, 12 noon at the Harry & David Pavilion, Reinhart Volunteer Park. A family raft trip to spread Tom’s ashes is planned for the summer. If you wish, donations may be given in Tom’s honor to the Rogue River Watershed Council or to the Oregon Brain Institute Research, at the OHSU Foundation where Tom donated his brain for research.