Larry J. Morse

WHITEFIELD – Larry J. Morse, 83, died peacefully on Saturday, July 6, 2024 at Windward Gardens in Camden, following an extended illness.

Larry was born in Whitefield on Aug. 26, 1940, the son of the late Francis L. and Emma J. (Fyfe) Morse. After graduating from Morse High School in Bath, Larry continued his education with classes at University of Maine. He then moved to Detroit to do contract engineering work. He was a talented artist and designer and had many mechanical design companies contracting his services.

He was a well known street racer on Woodward Avenue (the street racing venue at the time). He frequently raced muscle cars.

It was there that he met the future mother of his three children, a flight attendant for TWA. They married and moved to Los Angeles, Calif. where Larry attended The Art Center School of Design in Pasadena, Calif.

Larry and his wife, Donna (Dameron) Morse, moved to Chicago, Ill. where they lived for 10 years. Larry continued to do mechanical design work, and two of their boys were born, Gavin and Darren.

The family returned to Maine to live in 1979, and their third boy, Ryan, was born at Miles Memorial when they lived in Newcastle. A few years later, he designed the Miles Memorial outside sign.

Larry always loved landscaping, (and trucks and tractors and mowers) and while in Chicago, Ill., he started a landscaping business called Earthcare Enterprises, doing commercial landscaping.

After returning to Maine, Larry and his family lived in Newcastle on Damariscotta Lake. He worked doing design projects for area businesses and buying and selling antique automobiles. In 1983 the family moved to Washington State where they lived for many years while Larry continued to do design projects and landscaping.

In 1997 Larry returned to Maine, and to Whitefield. Buying and selling cars became a full-time job for the rest of his working years.

In his spare-time he enjoyed gardening, auto restoration, picking and dickering and always made sure he had the latest issue of Uncle Henry’s. He loved road trips and was always attending car auctions. His greatest love was the time he spent surrounded by his family, his three sons and his grandchildren.

He is survived by his companion of 14 years, Faye Chase of Whitefield; three sons, Gavin Morse of New York, Darren Morse of Augusta, Ryan Morse of Boothbay Harbor; three grandchildren, Zayda, Xen, and Viela Nguyen-Morse all of Smithfield; a sister, Katherine Morse of Whitefield; nephews Peter, Jon and Jerret Condon, all of Whitefield.

A graveside service celebrating Larry’s life will be held on July 11 at 11:11 a.m. at St. Denis Cemetery, 298 Grand Army Rd., Whitefield. To view Larry’s memorial page, or to share an online condolence, please visit http://www.StaplesFuneralHome.com. Arrangements are under the direction of Staples Funeral Home, 53 Brunswick Ave., Gardiner.

Larry J. Morse