Jerry Benjamin Morse, a decorated Air Force veteran of 22 years and a retired casino cage cashier, passed away Nov. 3, 2020, due to leukemia. Morse was a 29-year resident of Las Vegas. He was born Feb. 3, 1945, in Compton, CA, but grew up in Snowflake, AZ. He served in the Air Force from April 1963 thru November 1985, serving primarily as a loadmaster, being deployed worldwide. During the Vietnam War, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for an April 29, 1972, “night low-level airdrop of critically needed ammunition to a besieged concentration of allied forces…. [I]n spite of heavy anti-aircraft fire and intense automatic weapons activity, Sgt. Morse performed his aircraft duties with exact precision, resulting in a completely successful tactical emergency resupply mission.” In Las Vegas, Jerry worked at Binion’s, and in Primm at Primadonna Resorts before joining the casino cage at The Mirage in October 1993.
In 1994, he met Henny while working alongside her. They fell deeply in love and married April 30, 2005. Jerry retired from The Mirage in December 2006. While together, Jerry and Henny enjoyed numerous cruises (Hawaii, Alaska, the Caribbean, the Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Aruba & Mexico), traveling (England, Spain, Hawaii many times – he once caught a marlin there, Norway, etc.), concerts (Garth Brooks, Carrie Underwood, Willie Nelson, Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck, etc.), many trips on their various boats to Lake Mead and along the Colorado River (he loved to fish), and trips in their RV (Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, South Dakota, California beaches and Mt. Charleston). Jerry excelled at barbecuing and enjoyed serving as the family bookie and betting on college football. He was adored by his family, especially granddaughters Katherine Pappa and Mia Emerson, on whom he doted and whom he spoiled endlessly. Jerry belonged to the Sons of Norway Vegas Viking Lodge, where he volunteered for lutefisk dinners, towed the Viking ship in parades with his truck, etc. Jerry is survived by his wife, Henny Morse; stepson, Erik Pappa and his wife Colleen Wilson-Pappa; stepdaughter, Michelle Pappa; granddaughters Katherine and Mia; many cousins, nieces and nephews, in Arizona, Minnesota, Montana and Australia, and in-laws in Norway. He was pre-deceased by his father, Benjamin Morse; mother, Frances Salome Stull; sister Pearl Sutton; and stepson, Brian Pappa.
Services will be held Monday, Nov. 23 at noon at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Nathan Adelson Hospice or the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Chapter 711.
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