George "Trex" Morris

Some people leave behind accomplishments. Others leave behind memories. Trex left behind something even more enduring: the way he made people feel. Long before anyone remembered the positions he held or the successes he achieved, they remembered his warm, unmistakable smile. It arrived before the conversation did, putting people instantly at ease and inviting them in. Whether you had known him for decades or had just met him, Trex had a remarkable gift for making you feel welcome, valued, and genuinely glad that your paths had crossed. That gift became the defining thread of his life.

Family, friends, teammates, neighbors, and colleagues often described him in remarkably similar ways. He remembered names and asked about spouses, children, and grandchildren because he truly wanted to know how they were doing. He celebrated other people's successes without drawing attention to his own. He listened with genuine interest, encouraged generously, and had an uncanny ability to make every conversation feel personal. His kindness was never performative. It was simply who he was.

Born on March 26, 1957, in Maryville, Tennessee, to Marion N. Trexler, now Marion Palmgren, and George H. Morris, Trex was raised with values that would guide every chapter of his life: humility, integrity, loyalty, and the belief that hard work was its own reward. Those principles became so deeply woven into his character that they never seemed like lessons at all—they were just the way he lived.

He genuinely enjoyed hard work, especially when it meant breaking a sweat outdoors. He found peace in mowing his yard, tending a garden, planting flowers, or simply spending the day outside making the spaces around him more beautiful. There was satisfaction in seeing the results of honest effort. Those who knew him well understood that some of his most satisfying moments were spent not in boardrooms, but outside working under the sun. That same discipline and quiet determination shaped his passion for athletics.

Trex graduated from Marist School in Atlanta, where he excelled in football and baseball, and formed friendships that would become some of the most enduring relationships of his life. He was often the one helping to organize the class reunions or reaching out just because someone crossed his mind. He believed friendships deserved attention, and over the years he became the thread that kept so many of them closely woven together.

After Marist, Trex briefly attended The Citadel on a football scholarship before transferring to Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration. His time at Millsaps would become one of the most formative chapters of his life. There, he distinguished himself as both a scholar and a dual-sport athlete, competing in football and baseball, while also becoming an active member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. He was known for his playful spirit and gift for creating memorable moments that endeared him to teammates, fraternity brothers, and friends. It was also at Millsaps that he met the love of his life, Holly, beginning a partnership that would shape the rest of his years. The relationships he forged during that time remained among the closest and most enduring of his life. In recognition of his athletic achievements, Trex was inducted into the Millsaps College Sports Hall of Fame in 1993.

Athletics remained part of his life long after college, as Trex continued playing competitive baseball and softball into his fifties, drawn as much by the camaraderie as by the competition. He loved playing the games, but he loved the people even more. Whether on a ballfield, a golf course, or a ski slope, he found joy in shared experiences, good-natured competition, and the friendships that naturally grew from them. Those same qualities became the foundation of an extraordinary professional career.

Trex devoted his entire career to corporate real estate, first with IBM, where he rose to become an Area Manager of Real Estate, and later with EY, where he served as Global Real Estate Leader before retiring in 2023. His work helped shape workplaces around the world, but those who worked alongside him remember something even more meaningful than the projects he led: they remember how he led.

Trex believed leadership began with respect. He treated every person with the same warmth and dignity, regardless of title or position. He listened before speaking, shared credit freely, and viewed every success as a team accomplishment. He had little interest in hierarchy and every interest in helping people succeed. Young professionals found in him a generous mentor who always had time for a conversation. Seasoned colleagues found a trusted friend whose wisdom was matched by humility. Clients, brokers, and vendors often became lifelong friends because Trex approached every relationship with authenticity, curiosity, and genuine care.

His influence reached well beyond the organizations he served. He was a long-standing, active, and respected member of the Corporate Real Estate Leadership Council, and even after retiring, he continued to serve the Council as an administrator and leader, remaining deeply committed to mentoring others and advancing the profession he loved. He also served on the CoreNet Global Board of Directors and was inducted into the organization's Distinguished Leaders Circle in recognition of a lifetime of leadership and service. In July of 2001, Site Selection magazine recognized him as one of its "Best of the Best" corporate real estate executives. Yet anyone who knew Trex understood that he never measured success by awards or titles. To him, the greatest accomplishment was helping other people grow, succeed, and flourish.

Trex loved bringing people together. Classmates from Marist and Millsaps, neighbors from Oak Creek, Deerfield, and Wild Heron, and colleagues from IBM and EY remained part of his life because he made the effort to stay connected. The people who shared life's earliest chapters with him often remained among his closest companions decades later, a testament to the care and consistency with which he invested in relationships. He carried that same heart into his community.

For many years, Trex coached youth baseball and football at Shaw Park in Marietta, Georgia, finding genuine joy in helping young athletes grow not only as competitors but also as people. He expected effort, encouraged resilience, celebrated teamwork, and reminded his players that character mattered long after the scoreboard was forgotten. Many of those children would eventually remember Coach Morris less for the games they played than for the confidence he helped them discover in themselves.

Of all the roles Trex embraced throughout his life, none meant more to him than those he held within his own family. He was a devoted husband to Holly, whose partnership was the foundation of a life filled with love, laughter, adventure, and unwavering support. Together they created a home where family naturally gathered, where friends always felt welcome, and where life's greatest moments were often its simplest: a home-cooked meal around the table, an afternoon at the beach, or simply watching the sun set.

As a father to Brandon and Cameron, Trex taught primarily by example. He believed that integrity was lived in ordinary moments, that hard work built character, and that the people you love should never have to wonder whether they could count on you. If there was one lesson Trex impressed upon his sons again and again, it was the importance of caring for the women in their lives. Whenever he parted ways with his boys, his familiar reminder was, "Take care of your mom." It was more than a farewell—it was a reflection of the values he hoped to instill. His love language was unquestionably “acts of service,” and he demonstrated his love openly and often, calling his own mother every day, making time to help her around the house, and showing through these and other quiet acts of service that love is best expressed through steadfast care and presence. In watching their father, Brandon and Cameron learned that success is measured not only by what a man achieves, but by how faithfully he shows up for the people who matter most.

His favorite title, however, was simply "Pop." Retirement opened the door to one of the happiest seasons of his life as he devoted even more of himself to his six grandchildren. Whether attending and coaching ballgames, traveling together, playing in the pool, or simply listening to their stories, Trex delighted in being fully present. His grandchildren knew Pop as the man with the warm smile, the steady encouragement, and the reassuring presence that made every visit feel special.

Trex found happiness in life's simple pleasures. He loved traveling, skiing, riding in the Endymion Mardi Gras parade, walking his beloved pup, Sugar, and chasing a golf ball at Shark’s Tooth with good friends. Yet wherever he happened to be, what mattered most was never the destination—it was the people beside him.

As we reflect on Trex’s life, it is tempting to measure it by the milestones he reached: an accomplished athlete, a respected global business leader, an industry mentor, and a trusted advisor. Those accomplishments were certainly remarkable, but they tell only part of his story.

His true legacy lives elsewhere. It lives in the family who always came first. It lives in the grandchildren who will forever know the love of their Pop. It lives in the friendships he carefully tended over decades, the colleagues he encouraged, the young professionals he mentored, the children he coached, and the countless people who left a conversation with him feeling more confident, more hopeful, and more valued than before.

Trex never sought to be the most important person in the room. Instead, he had the rare ability to make everyone else feel that way. His warmth, humility, generosity, and genuine interest in others left an imprint that no résumé could ever capture. The buildings he helped shape will one day change. The awards he received will eventually fade into history. But the kindness he extended, the relationships he nurtured, and the example he set will continue to live on in the lives of those who knew him.

Trex was preceded in death by his father, George H. Morris; his stepfather, I.G. Palmgren; and his stepmother, Elizabeth W. Morris. He is survived by his beloved wife, Holly Morris; his sons, Brandon (Jennifer) Morris and Cameron (Emily) Morris; his mother, Marion Palmgren; his cherished grandchildren, Rebecca, Bennett, Jack, Hudson, Charles, and Campbell; his brothers, Michael (Raleigh) Morris, Thomas (Kathy) Morris, and Mark (Tara) Morris; his stepbrother, Mark Kennedy; his stepsister, Sharon (Richie) Sexton; his aunt, Elinor (Jay) Williams; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family members, friends, neighbors, and countless others whose lives are richer because they knew him.

Trex had an extraordinary gift for making people feel seen, welcomed, and deeply valued. His life reminds us that a person's legacy is measured not only by what they achieve, but by how they love, how they serve, and how they make others feel. By that measure, though Trex's years were fewer than any of us wished, they were remarkably rich and full. His example will continue to guide his family, inspire those he mentored, strengthen the friendships he so faithfully nurtured, and endure in the lives he made better.

A memorial service will take place on August 8, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. in Esmond Brady Memorial Chapel at Marist School, located at 3790 Ashford Dunwoody Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30319.

A reception will follow at 1:30 p.m. at Ray’s on the River, located at 6700 Powers Ferry Rd NW, Sandy Springs, GA 30339.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in memory of Trex to Marist School. Checks may be made out to “Marist School” and mailed to 3790 Ashford Dunwoody Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30319. Gifts may also be made online at marist.com/giving. Please write “in memory of Trex Morris” in the memo line or comments section of your gift.