Robert Byron Morris

Robert "Bob" Morris October 31, 1932 - April 20, 2026

Robert (Bob) Morris, 93, of Ephrata, Pennsylvania passed peacefully from this life on Monday, April 20, 2026. Having lived a life so full and so generously given, Bob left this world gently, at peace - the natural exhale of a man who knew he had done well by the world.

Born on Halloween of 1932 in Kansas City, Kansas, Bob arrived in the world with a flair for the unexpected that never left him. He came of age in Denver, Colorado, earning his high school diploma at the spirited age of 17 - already a young man in a hurry to meet life head-on. True to that spirit, he answered his country's call and served three proud years in the U.S. Army, stationed in Korea and Japan, before returning home to Colorado with broadened horizons and an unshakeable sense of purpose.

At Colorado State College, where he majored in science and found brotherhood in Delta Psi fraternity, Bob discovered something far more precious than any degree could confer: the love of his life. It was there that he first laid eyes on the luminous Sheryl Keener, and from that moment, the rest of his life came into focus. On November 12, 1955, the two were married - and what followed was not simply a long marriage, but a love that traversed the rest of his lifetime: seventy years of laughter, adventure, disagreement, forgiveness, and the quiet, unshakeable grace of two people who simply chose each other, every single day. From that union came three children who would become the proud pillars of their family: Robert, Cindy, and Steve - each one a testament to the warmth and character of the home Bob and Sheryl built together. It was clear from the very beginning that Sheryl was not merely Bob's partner, but his compass, his anchor, and his greatest adventure of all.

Their early years together read like a chapter from a quintessentially American storybook. The young couple made their way to Joplin, Missouri, where they owned and operated an A&W Root Beer stand right on the legendary Route 66 - in the very heyday of chrome bumpers, carhops, and cold root beer floats handed through rolled-down windows. It was a simpler, sweeter time, and Bob and Sheryl were right in the middle of it, building something of their own with their own two hands.

Life kept moving, as it does. The family eventually put down roots in Winfield, Kansas, where Bob began a long and distinguished career with Binney & Smith, the makers of Crayola crayons. There is something wonderfully fitting about a man of Bob's creativity and curiosity finding his professional home in a company devoted to color, imagination, and the joy of making things. His talent and dedication carried the family eastward as Bob rose to become Director of Purchasing at Crayola's corporate headquarters in Pennsylvania - a role that suited his sharp mind and steady leadership to great effect.

Bob and Sheryl spent many golden years in western New York State before making Ephrata, Pennsylvania, their final home three years ago. In the years between, they were tireless explorers - crisscrossing the United States and Canada in their motor home, chasing sunsets and finding adventure around every bend, and sailing off on countless cruises with beloved friends and family. To travel with Bob was to travel with someone who noticed everything and treasured it all.

He was, at his core, a lifelong learner. There was scarcely a subject Bob couldn't speak to with knowledge and enthusiasm - whether it was the latest technology gadget he'd already acquired before most people knew it existed, a woodworking project taking shape in his basement with the patience and precision of a true craftsman, or a piece of music that moved him. He was a connector through his crafts, as equal a purveyor of eclectic pieces as he was an active participant in learning about ideas and experiences of those he loved.

Bob gave generously of his time and talents to every community he called home. He served on the boards of various associations, contributed faithfully to Episcopal church vestries, and - right up until the end - could be found leading the Veterans' Club at Keystone Villa with the same quiet pride and dedication he had carried since his Army days. He never stopped showing up for others.

He was preceded in passing by his siblings Betty Lapham, Janie Talbot, and Donald Morris - the people who knew him before the world did.

He is survived by his cherished wife, Sheryl, who was by his side for 70 years; his son Robert Morris; his daughter Cindy Morris O'Neill; and his son Steve Morris and partner Lori Rosica. He leaves behind five grandchildren to whom he was "GPa": Shane O'Neill (and wife Hilari); Conor O'Neill; Fallon O'Neill Schneider (and husband Jack); Christine Morris; and Andrea Moore. GPa also experienced the joy of his legacy extending to a fourth generation of his family through his two great granddaughters, Violet O'Neill and Fiona Schneider.

In addition to his immediate and extended family, Bob leaves behind his chosen family garnered throughout his time at Keystone Villa: his caregivers, Kirdy and Lailani, and many fellow residents created the community that became his and Sheryl's final home together.

A private funeral and interment will be held on May 4th at Fort Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, where Bob will be laid to rest with the honor and gratitude his beautiful life so rightfully deserves. May we all be so fortunate as to live a full life and someday leave the world so much better than we found it-just like Bob.

He colored the world brighter. That is not a life to mourn - that is a life to celebrate.