By HDN Staff
Morris Dees, 86, a local businessman and lifelong resident of Hill County, died Monday, Jan. 7, 2001, at a Havre care facility of natural causes.
Rosary vigil is 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Holland and Bonine Chapel. Funeral service is 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Jude Catholic Church with Fr. Robert D. Grosch officiating. Burial to follow at the Calvary Cemetery. Reception to follow burial at the Knights of Columbus Hall at St. Jude Catholic Church.
Morris was born December 9, 1915, to Andrew and Dorthea Dees on the family homestead farm five miles south of Kremlin. His parents were immigrants from Norway. He graduated from Sage Creek School in 1929. He attended Kremlin High School and graduated from Havre High School in 1934. At times, he worked on the family farm repairing machinery and doing farm work. At other times, he worked at Bear Paw Motors and Havre Motors as an auto body repairman. He married Maxine Gussenhoven, a native of Havre, on August 31, 1940, and at that time moved permanently to Havre.
In 1944, Morris established Dees Auto Body Shop at First Street and Second Avenue, which ran successfully for thirty-five years. In 1958, the shop expanded and relocated to First Street and Sixth Avenue. In 1960, a 24-hour wrecking service was added.
He was a member of the St. Jude Catholic Church, the Elks Club and the Rotary Club.
He was preceded in death parents, Andrew in 1966 and Dorthea in 1968.
Survivors include his son, Alan (Marilyn) of Havre; daughter, Gayle (Kent) Holbrook of Spokane, Wash.; brothers Alvin (Evelyn) of Tacoma, Wash., Richard of Billings, Donald (Rita) of Kremlin, Norman (Mary) of Havre; sisters, Ella Hammond of Malta, Dorthy Sanda of Minnetonka, Minn.; two grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorials in Morris' honor may be made to: St. Jude School, 624 Fourth St., P. O. Box 407, Havre, MT 59501.
Services and arrangements are under the direction of the Holland and Bonine Funeral Home in Havre.
