Roger J. Morris Jr., 54, publisher and editor of The Western News, died Thursday, Sept. 21, 2006, in Libby.

Roger and his family came to Libby in July of 1992 where he joined the staff of The Western News and remained with the paper for the past 14 years.

He was born at St. Albans, Long Island, N.Y., to Roger and Catherine Morris and was raised and educated at Deer Park, Long Island, later attending college at Oklahoma University and the University of Northern Colorado at Greely, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism.

Roger worked at the North Platte, Neb. Telegraph newspaper and later was employed in the public relations department of State Farm Insurance. He served as a reporter and later as editor and general manager of the Country Times in Gunnison, Colo., and the Mountain Sun News at Crested Butte, Colo., before coming to Libby.

A tireless community advocate and servant, Roger served on the board of Libby Nordicfest, Inc. since 1992 and had been a longtime member of the Lincoln County Library Board as well as serving in a promotional capacity for The Treasure Tones. He had been an active supporter of Libby public schools and sports and was recently honored at a Libby Loggers football game with a signed game ball. He also served as president of the Libby Rotary Club.

Roger is remembered by many for his love of the outdoors, hiking in the Cabinet Wilderness area and in many of the national parks and his beautiful photography of those areas; he also enjoyed downhill skiing.

Survivors include his son, Christopher Morris of Bozeman; his parents, Roger Morris Sr. of Parker, Colo., and Catherine Morris of Tucson; a brother, Brian Morris of Aurora, Colo.; a sister, Michelle Simpson of Crested Butte, Colo.; and a host of good friends.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 25, at the Libby Memorial Center.

Memorials in Roger's memory may be made to Nordicfest Inc., P.O. Box 791, Libby, MT 59923. Arrangements are under the care of Nelson & Vial Funeral Home.