John Jack Calvin Morrow

John Calvin (Jack) Morrow Jack was the last family member of the John C. and Lena (Henderson) family unit of North Dakota. He was born August 10, 1923, in Erie, ND, and passed December 29, 2019, in Phoenix, AZ. He joined his brothers Bill, Wayne, Dowd, Bob, and Jim, and his sister Elaine. He was preceded in death by his first wife of 56 years Jennie (Glowka) and their middle daughter Jackie Thomas Godas. He is survived by his second wife and companion Jackie O. Morrow of Minneapolis, MN, his children Nancy Dahlman, Mesa, AZ, Kathy King (George), Elk Grove, CA, and Todd Morrow (Dennis Athey), Minnetonka, MN, grandchildren Samantha Kolinski (David), Carter Thomas (Sara), Brandon Godas, and John King, along with four great grandchildren Sidney, Kelsey, Jackie, and Kenzie. His extended family included numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, great great grandchildren, and one great great great child. Jack was a farm child during the Great Depression, sold newspapers on the streets in Fargo, served in the Army during WWII, became a lab technician at Walman Optical in 1946, and worked his way to President of Walman’s leaving in 1982. He could often be found in the lab grinding prescriptions when it was busy. He had his own business for a couple of years and then thought to retire. Changed his mind and co-owned a convenience store with his son Todd. Eventually he gave up the day-to-day work life and dedicated himself to sewing quilts for newborns which were donated to various hospitals in the area. Things we remember: He loved pheasant hunting in South Dakota (we did not look forward to plucking feathers outside in the cold). He loved sales calls on optometrists (we loved going with him on trips to Mount Rushmore). He was always hitting the top of his head (we had to guess how). He loved playing jokes (as teenagers we would not laugh when he put $$ signs over our party snacks; or when he chaperoned a high school prom and shouted down the hall, “Did you find the deodorant?”) As he was being taken to the ambulance Christmas Eve he yelled to Todd to get the box in the workshop. Todd and Nancy frantically searched for a box. When they finally found a box with a bow they run to the ambulance to give it to dad. He gives it to Todd who opens the box only to discover it was the ‘bamboo fly’ – a family joke gift what has been given as a gift on Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, anniversaries, birthdays, Christmas, or any other gift day. He had to have that last laugh. Stories from work include getting the U.S. Postal Service to handle prescription glasses as medical supplies and allowing the optical labs to send eyewear as priority mail. He would later establish a system of inventory control utilized by a variety of small companies. He would be sent out-of-town whenever telephone systems were changed because he kept questioning technicians about how long it was going to take. He was just Jack to the employees (that guy who did a little bit of everything and was always willing to help) and the guy who signed their paycheck was John who was someone nobody knew. A private family service was held in Mesa, Arizona. His burial is planned at Fort Snelling, Minnesota.