Beach, Florida. He was 96 years old.
“Jay”, as he was known to family and friends, was born on August 15, 1923 in New York City,
NY to James and Rose (Johnston) Morrow. He was raised in Stamford, CT and attended The
King School. His family moved to a small farm in Danbury, CT and he graduated from Danbury
High School in 1941. In January of 1942, he joined the Army Air Corp and after basic training
was shipped to the airbase in Kimbolton, England. He attained the rank of Master Sergeant
and was the Armaments Chief for the 527th Bombardment Squadron of the famous 379th
Bomb Group which achieved the 8th Air Force Operational Grand Slam, the only unit ever
awarded this honor in the Mighty 8th. After his honorable discharge, Jay remained a proud
veteran his entire life, attending reunions and keeping in touch with his entire band of brothers.
Upon his return from WWII, Jay met and married the love of his life, his wife of almost 72 years,
Mae Hooper of Brookfield. They married on October 18, 1947.
Jay was one of the founders of Collins-Morrow Real Estate and Insurance. He began his
career with Goodfellow-Ashmore and then formed the partnership of Collins-Morrow, with
offices in Danbury and New Fairfield. After his retirement in the late 1980’s, Mae and Jay
moved to their home in Manchester Village, VT and became snowbirds between Vermont and
their home in Venice, FL. In the early 1990’s, Jay formed another partnership and opened The
Practice Tee, a driving range in Manchester. He retired in 2004 and made a permanent move to
Florida.
Throughout his life, Jay was a firm believer in community service. He was a founding and
active member of the King Street Volunteer Fire Department. He was a member of the King
Street Church, the First Congregational church of Danbury, the Congregational church of
Manchester, and the Sun Coast Cathedral MCC of Venice. Jay was a member and past
president of the Ridgewood Country Club in Danbury, the Manchester Country Club in
Manchester and a member of the Jacaranda Country Club in Venice. He was a member and
past president of the Lion’s Club of Danbury. Jay was an active member of PFLAG, a member
of the VFW, Manchester, and a volunteer at the Cardiac Rehab Unit at Venice Regional Bayfront
Hospital.
Personally, Jay was an avid golfer and skier. He enjoyed annual trips to Colorado to spring ski
and challenged himself the rest of the season on the slopes of Vermont. Jay golfed at any
given opportunity. He loved to travel and never hesitated to pack up the family and go. He
was a committed family man and was devoted to his Mae.
Jay is survived by his wife, Mae, his four children, Pamela M. Johnson (Randall), James A.
Morrow, III, Lee C. Morrow, and Kimberlee M. Lavallee (David), his brother Donald G. Morrow
(Ulla), four grandchildren, five great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Jay will be interred at Cape Canaveral National Cemetery in Mims, FL at a date to be decided
by the family.
Donations in his memory may be made to Honor Flight, Inc., 175 South Tuttle Road,
Springfield, OH 45505. Jay would embrace knowing that other veterans will be given the honor
and opportunity to visit the memorials in Washington, DC on an Honor Flight, just as he did in
2009.
SHARE OBITUARYSHARE
v.1.11.6