In Memoriam: Fred MorrisEarlier today, we were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Fred Morris, former director of the Troopers, in Casper. Our hearts are with his family during this difficult time, and we have been in close communication with his son, Jeff. Fred's contributions to the drum corps activity extend far beyond his time with the Troopers. A member of both the Troopers Hall of Fame and the Bluecoats Hall of Fame, he was named Director of the Year in 2009 and led the Troopers to their first finals appearance in 23 years—a milestone achievement in the corps’ history. Serving as the Troopers’ director from 2006 to 2018, Fred leaves behind a legacy that has impacted thousands of lives. His dedication, passion, and unwavering love for this activity will never be forgotten. We will miss him deeply. There was truly no one more fitting, in both spirit and leadership, to guide the Casper Troopers. HLD
Posted by Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps on Friday, November 22, 2024
Fred Morris, the Troopers director who helped lead the Casper, Wyoming corps back from the brink of extinction in 2006, died this week. He was 73 years old.
The Troopers confirmed his passing through Morris’ son Jeff, reportedly a result of a cardiac event.
“Fred leaves behind many great memories and even more lives touched,” Troopers executive director Mike Gough said. “There was truly no one more prepared, both in love and in image to be the director of the Casper Troopers.”
Morris' relationship with the Troopers began in 2004 when he started helping the corps with its souvenir booth. Partially due to his experience running his own company and his degree in accounting, he was asked to become the director in 2006, responsible for bringing the corps out of a year of inactivity.
Relocating to Wyoming to assume the directorship, Morris said in a 2007 DCI.org interview of his initial impressions: “I was hit by the mystique and history of the corps and the connection they have to the City of Casper. The corps is an institution, a legacy to the city. I would run into people such as my neighbor and people at the grocery store and they all said we needed to get the corps back on the field."
With his long hair and silver beard, Morris fit right into Casper, rarely seen without his signature western-style hat featuring the Troopers’ iconic crossed-sabers emblem. He quickly helped get the corps back on its feet as the group underwent a comprehensive rebuild that touched all aspects of the organization.
“The board of directors, design team, staff and kids all raised the bar,” he said. “We changed the way we approached our programming, rehearsals and attitudes. We took nothing for granted and demanded the best from ourselves.”
As the Troopers returned to the field in 2007, the corps finished in 20th place, just two places better than its last outing in 2005. But steady improvement followed as the corps upped its placement to 16th in 2008 before a magical season in 2009 that brought the Troop back to the elite Top 12 of the DCI World Championship Finals for the first time in 23 years.
Following the corps’ Semifinals performance in 2009 and the ensuing wait to find out if they had scored well enough to advance to the next day’s Finals competition, Morris described the scene: “The kids had gone to the buses to change, and they awaited the scores out there. The staff had gathered in the exit tunnel to await the announcement. There was this quiet excitement. Then it was elation — tears, hugs, high-fives … Some people fell to their knees. Any kind of joyful emotion you can name, it was there. It was a great night. I’m very proud of the kids and staff for what they accomplished.”
After the corps’ milestone 2009 season, Drum Corps International corps directors nominated Morris to receive the Dr. Bernard Baggs Leadership Award, recognizing his efforts as the World Class corps director of the year.
Morris aided in the transition to a new Troopers corps director when he took on the role of senior executive advisor in 2019, gradually ramping down and retiring in the early 2020s.
"He was the right person at the right time, and his leadership paved the way for the Troopers to continue on a path of consistency and success," Troopers CEO Mike Ottoes said.
Morris marched as a member of the all-age Erie Thunderbirds and Reading Buccaneers drum corps during the 1970s. He was a percussion instructor and later a board member at Bluecoats during the ‘80s. He has been inducted into the Hall of Fame of both the Bluecoats and the Troopers.
The Troopers were one of DCI's founding corps in 1972 under the guidance of DCI Hall of Fame member Jim Jones. Fred Morris was a worthy successor.
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