Clifford Charles Morris

The legend of Speed began on February 12, 1941, in the “Jewel of Central California”, Dos Palos. Born to normal humans Cecil Morris and Dorothy (Dot) Dillon on February 12, 1941, his home birth spared the babies born in the hospital that day the indignity of seeing how hideous they looked compared to this tiny god. Almost immediately he started earning his nickname, Speed, when as a toddler he began to take his stroller apart to try to make it “go faster”. In adolescence, he became obsessed with all things rideable, no matter how many wheels. One, two, three, or four, he wanted to pedal it, ride it, or drive it, and then break it and rebuild it so he could pedal, ride or drive it better and faster. Sister Donna and brother Skip followed to further bless the Morris household.

Upon entering his teenage years and now in Redding, CA, it was becoming apparent that his scholastic endeavors at Central Valley High School would take a backseat to his commitment to going fast. Working at his father’s gas station and garage he learned to tear down car and motorcycle motors and rebuild them with seeming ease. He also made many lifelong friends at CVHS. Between his movie star good looks and building and driving fast cars and motorcycles he was able to effortlessly pursue another passion, pretty girls. He met the beautiful Bonnie Irene Nagy at CVHS, and soon after graduating, performed some witchcraft on her, and got her to marry him. Together they had three children, two pretty good ones (you decide). Steel, Bernadette, and Shane, were truly the apples of his eye.

His mother and father divorced and Dorothy married Joe Chaney and they gave him another brother, Dillon. Cecil married Beatrice (Bea), and together they gave birth to Speed’s brother Carsten and sister Chanda.  Cecil had around a “Baker’s Dozen” marriages, but the one to Donna Fisher around 1973 provided a few more sisters, Laural and Cynthia. 

Moving the family to Westminster, CA in the sixties, he got the opportunity to coach his sons in little league and daughter in softball among other activities with the kids. Among his career opportunities were Pilot, Mechanic, Building Contractor, and GM at White Front Tire and Auto Center, and partner in Dune Runner Enterprises, a company that made really cool dune buggies. Driving the dune buggies fast in the rare Southern California rain and splashing the willing, squealing neighbor children on the way home from school was a favorite pastime and always delighted him and the kids.

Another passion Speed had was flying, and he got his pilot’s license and a private plane, was a mechanic and flew for Golden West Airlines. He had a “love-hate” relationship with flying. He loved being in the air, while the air apparently hated him being in it.  He also was a dreamer and entrepreneur, trying to make his fortune with Snak-A-Rice, Amway, Slick 50, Frantz Filters, and ChromaGlass.

He went to New York in the late seventies and along with his step-dad Joe to help build some loft apartments with his sister Donna. Many of you may have seen pictures from those days. Beautiful craftsmanship.  He thoroughly enjoyed his time in the Big Apple, but was a fish out of water there, and had to head back to the pines.   

Years in Paradise, CA saw Speed remarried. This time he adopted a young woman from the town orphanage named  Anne, and they were together from 1982 through 1992.  As the town’s name might  imply, they were happy for at least some of that time. 

Bernadette married Lance Osborne on 6-16-84, and Ashlyn Elizabeth was born 4-2-91.  Speed was over the moon about her, but wasn’t about to be called Grandpa, so PeaPaw was born. 

Shane married Shantel on 10-15-96, and their son, Speed’s grandson, Parker Shane was born 1996.  

Steel was a little late to the party, preferring to wait for the perfect baby, married Debbie in 2007, and their daughter Brooke Bonilyn finished up the grandbabies when she was born on June 21st 2008.        Also, many people are saying she was voted “Best Grandbaby” by a huge number of votes.  Recounts are currently underway in the swing states, unfortunately.

Speed spent his final years in Anaheim, CA with Bernadette and Lance.  While with them, he fell in love with the children of the Escalante family, who adopted him as their PeaPaw as well.  Bernadette and Lance took amazing care of him over the last part of his life, and I would be remiss if I didn’t express the immense love, gratitude, and thanks from everyone who loved him.

When I asked Dad about his final wishes, he said to take him “up a hill and let the bears eat me”.  I told him that the only bears in the area were in the zoo, and they frown on that type of “Celebration of Life”.   I asked if he wouldn’t prefer his ashes be loaded into shotgun casings and fired at liberal democrats, but he was stuck on the whole eaten by a bear thing.  We will be doing neither.  Now begins the battle over his vast estate.

Never having lost his sense of humor all the way until his final days, it’s our hope he would have enjoyed this somewhat liberal recounting of some of his life’s events.  Rest in Peace Dad!  We miss you.

With love,

Steel, Bernadette, Shane, and so many others!

In lieu of flowers, the Morris family has asked for donations to be made in Clifford C. Morris’s name to the Miracle League of Orange County, CA.  This non-profit founded by his son Steel helps children and adults with disabilities play baseball, and can be found at https://ocmiracleleague.com