Arnold Buck Morris, 95

Arnold Buck Morris, 95, of Kalispell, passed away May 26, 2026, surrounded by loved ones in the comfort of his home. Buck was born Sept. 26, 1930, in Centralia, West Virginia, within the Blue Ridge mountains. His family lived off the land, and his favorite stories were of his childhood: picking and selling ginseng, hunting small animals, helping harvest and store food for the winter, and snakes, which appeared to be the longest snakes in the country. Everyone in the family did their part to help, regardless of age. His family later moved to Pennsylvania, where he met and married his wife of 71 years, Carol Colleen Wade. In 1954, following the birth of their son, they moved the entire Morris clan to western Montana and stayed at Hill’s ranch in Kila. Buck and his father and brothers worked in the timber industry, and as he became a successful logging contractor, he established Arnold B Morris Logging. He lived in various logging camps and communities in Montana, including the Yaak, Troy, Martinsdale, Seeley Lake and Pinedale, Wyoming. While in Seeley Lake, he bought land in the Bigfork area and eventually built a home there in 1971. In 2014, he moved to Kalispell for Carol to be closer to medical facilities. Buck has left the legacy of Wild Goose Island to his family, on which he worked tirelessly until his death to upkeep, battling windstorms, mosquitoes and Canadian thistles.

Buck enjoyed watching his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in sports and other activities. He was a pit crew member of his son’s racing crew at Big Sky Speedway. He team penned with his daughter on his favorite horse, Smokey Mo, and finally won that coveted buckle! He watched his grandchildren and great-grandchildren dance at powwows and play basketball, soccer and run in track. He loved family reunions, holidays and church potlucks where there was lots of good home-cooked food. He liked classic cars, especially T-Birds, and rode a Harley Davidson. He never tired of watching logging videos, homemade and commercial (after he learned to use YouTube). Buck especially enjoyed church get-togethers on Wild Goose Island, where he would give hayrides, fellowship and eat. He and Carol were active members of the Bigfork Christian Church, on which he gifted the land to build. 

Being strong, stubborn, an extremely hard worker, growing up eating healthy and being outdoors all the time contributed to his long life; unfortunately, he outlived most of his friends and family. It was time to reunite with his love, Carol Colleen, with whom he is with now, which lessens the sadness of his passing. 

Buck was preceded in death by his wife, Carol; his parents, Albert and Cora Morris; three brothers and two sisters; nieces and nephews; and two granddaughters, Lindsay and Jennifer. 

He is survived by one sister, Edie Jorgenson (Ed) of Missoula; son, Danny Morris (Debbie) of Bigfork; daughters, Sherry Morris and Janet Holter (Ross) of Kalispell and Linda Pete of Polson; seven grandchildren, Khena, ShiNaasha, Sierra, Laryssa, Danae, Mackenzie and Dillon; and seven great-grandchildren, Lily, Edgar, Isabella, Sophira, Kelilah, David, Elyanah.  

The family would like to thank Stillwater Hospice and Epaga Home Care, especially Becky, for taking such good care of both Dad and Mom. 

A memorial celebration will be held Saturday, June 20, at 2 p.m. at Bigfork Christian Church, 110 Shawnee Dr., Bigfork.