Moriah – Douglas A. Morrell, 88, of Moriah, NY passed away peacefully on February 2, 2019 in Sharon, CT surrounded by family. Born February 17, 1930 in Greenwich, CT he was the son of the late Milo and Ruth (Adkins) Morrell.
Following high school, Douglas served in the United States Army and was honorably discharged in 1948. He then returned to Greenwich to marry Eleanor Ryan, begin a family and to learn the arborist trade. He loved working in the majestic trees of Greenwich, first for the Town of Greenwich, then later for private tree service companies. A natural and fearless tree climber, Douglas quickly earned the respect of fellow workers and was given the nickname “the Squirrel”. In 1964 Douglas and Eleanor moved their growing family to Danbury, CT where they would live for the next 36 years. Douglas continued to make the daily commute to Greenwich to work in the tree service field for many years, until he accepted an opportunity to join the Connecticut Laborers’ Union working in the construction field. This allowed him to work closer to home until his retirement. His devoted wife of 48 years, Eleanor Morrell passed away in 1998. In 2000 he moved to the small town of Moriah, NY in the Adirondacks and purchased his parents’ home.
An avid fisherman, gardener and historian, Douglas took great joy in the simple pleasures. He loved fishing on the Long Island Sound and catching trout in the lakes, rivers and streams along the New York/ Connecticut border as well as in his beloved Adirondacks. From his meticulously maintained gardens he would harvest a large bounty of fresh vegetables for his family dinner table and for sharing with neighbors and friends.
His love of history included exploring his deep family roots in Greenwich as well as American history which included the Civil War, WWII, the Korean War and others. He enjoyed numerous trips to the National Battlefield Park at Gettysburg and various other Civil War sites, as well as the memorials and monuments on the National Mall in Washington, DC.
Douglas also loved feeding wild birds and came to recognize many species and know their distinctive characteristics. He was also an avid and lifelong New York Yankees fan. A constant companion to Douglas was his beloved Golden Retriever “Bailey” a pet who was totally dedicated to him. Douglas will be deeply missed by all.
Douglas is survived by a brother Richard Morrell; a sister Joan Fletcher; eight children, Michael (Beth) Morrell, Trissi (Tim) Parry, Thomas (Terri) Morrell, Douglas (Amy Duncan) Morrell, Amy Close, Mark (Jayne) Morrell, Meg (Tom) Youngberg and Christopher (Lisette) Morrell; 13 grandchildren, Shannon Murray, JD Morrell, Tim Parry II, Katie Parry, Travis Morrell, Corey Morrell, Nicole Acquanita, Sean Close, Kyle Morrell, Corrine Ofgang, Cassie Hess, Christopher Morrell and Ethan Morrell as well as 11 great grandchildren. He is also survived by his cherished and loving friends, Shirley, Molly, Kathy and Steve. In addition to his parents and wife, he was predeceased by a brother, Milo Morrell and a grandson Thomas W. Morrell.
There are no calling hours. Graveside services and burial will take place May 17, 2019 at 12 pm at Moriah Union Cemetery, Port Henry, NY with Standard Military Honors. Arrangements are under the care of the Scott D. Conklin Funeral Home, 37 Park Avenue, Millerton, NY 12546. To send an online condolence please visit www.conklinfuneralhome.com