Brent Claymore Morrill, 88, of Manhattan, Kansas, passed away at home on April 9, 2023. He was born on June 9, 1934, in Tridell, Utah, one of 11 children born to Horace LeRoy Morrill and Clara Elizabeth Barrett.
Brent was raised in a loving family where he was taught to work hard. There were always chores to do including milking cows and working in the garden and fields. Even though he was a child of the Great Depression, and electricity didn’t come into their home until he was almost six, nor did the family ever share a family vacation all together because no car was big enough for thirteen people, Brent never thought he missed out in life. He hiked and fished, and played marbles and jacks, and roamed the hills on horseback. Then with the help of his two older brothers, Horace and Ralph, he was able to purchased his first horse, “Shorty” when they returned home from serving in World War II.
In high school, Brent participated in FFA and raised a grand champion steer. He also played basketball and football and was elected Student Body President of the newly consolidated Union High School in Roosevelt, Utah his senior year, graduating in Union’s first class in 1952.
Brent attended Utah State University for two years prior to being drafted into the United States Army. He spent the majority of his time in Germany, and planned to go back to college when he returned. But, he had his eye on his “sweetheart” Ila Manwaring from Naples, Utah, and they got married six months after he returned on June 20, 1957, in the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He joined a Salt Lake City Painting Company, Bodily, Inc and painted with them for over 50 years, mostly on Army and Air Force bases. A project at Fort Riley brought them to Kansas in March of 1968 and they never left, making Manhattan their home and the place they raised their three children: Norlene, Gary, and Maria. After he put down his paint brush, he was far from retirement and since 2014 has worked as janitor and all-around handyman at Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging only leaving in February due to his health.
Brent was very active in the local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and has served in a variety of positions including a counselor in the Bishopric, Scoutmaster, seminary teacher, primary teacher and priesthood leader. But it was finding ways to be of service to his family, neighbors, and friends, without them knowing, that brought him the greatest joy.
Brent believed in being honest with yourself and your associates, and loving the Lord, your family and others. He is survived by his wife, Ila M. Morrill, three children Norlene (David) Gowdy of Buena Vista, Virginia, Gary Morrill of Cottonwood Heights, Utah, and Maria (Robert) Bailey of Sandy, Utah; fourteen grandchildren, and twenty-seven great-grandchildren. He is also survived by two sisters, Isola Haslem, and Lou Ann (Norman) Angus, and one brother, Callis (Lynette). He was preceded in death by his parents and five brothers, Horace, Sharon, Max, Ralph, and Lawrence and two sisters, Clara Walhquist and Lynn Hardy.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Thursday, April 13th, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 2812 Marlatt Avenue, Manhattan, KS. Interment will follow in the Kansas Veterans’ Cemetery at Fort Riley.
The family will receive friends from 9:30 to 10:30 A.M. Thursday in the Relief Society Room at the church prior to the service.
Online condolences may be left for the family HERE.
Memorial contributions may be made to Good Shepherd Homecare and Hospice Inc. Contributions may be left in care of the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, KS 66502.