Eldon Morrison passed away on October 5, 2022 in a tragic accident. He is remembered as an honorable businessman dedicated to his family, Maine and the construction industry. Eldon was born in Perry, Maine to Colon Stuart Morrison and Martha Laura (Clark) Morrison on August 4, 1941. He attended Perry and Eastport schools, then went to the University of Maine to study civil engineering. This experience led to lifelong friendships and support for the University and its engineering school, culminating in Eldon donating funds to the new Ferland building and Classroom 106 being named in his honor. After college Eldon worked as a project engineer on dam projects for the California Department of Water Resources, and started a family with his wife, Dianne (Malloch) Morrison of Eastport.
The family moved back to Maine when Eldon joined EC Jordan in Portland. After leaving Bridge Construction in Augusta, Eldon took a position with Abington Construction in Portsmouth, NH. He decided to go out on his own and founded CPM Constructors in 1985, serving as President, and in recent years as CEO as he supported transitioning management of the company he created to his family members. The word retirement was not in his vocabulary as he still reported to the office every day to keep tabs on company operations. The company’s first project was to replace a foundation on a building at the Yarmouth Boat Yard. Since then, the company has grown from one person to over a hundred people working on heavy construction projects, especially bridges, across northern New England.
Eldon loved boating, flying, designing new things, buying new tools and tinkering with machines. In fact, he and his family did much of the work building their house in Yarmouth. Eldon and Dianne traveled extensively and enjoyed experiencing new places and new adventures. He and Dianne also completed the Great Loop with their boat, Maine Visions. This route took them through eastern Canada, the Great Lakes, the Mississippi River, the Gulf of Mexico and up the Intercoastal Waterway along the east coast. In recent years Eldon and Dianne spent winters in North Fort Myers, where Eldon enjoyed the warm weather and playing pickleball with friends. As a Maine sportsman, Eldon also spent time hunting and lobstering with his grandsons.
Eldon served on many boards and was active in the University of Maine Foundation and the Associated General Contractors of Maine. He served as Board President of AGC Maine in 2007, and spent time promoting funding efforts for construction projects both at the state and federal level. Because he felt so strongly about the need for a good education, Eldon enthusiastically supported the AGC Maine Education Foundation as a board member, spearheading the fundraising effort to support scholarships for engineering and construction students across Maine. He established named scholarships for CPM Constructors for the benefit of CPM Constructors’ employees and their children. He was also a 50-year member of the Masons and a member of the Kora Shrine.
Eldon is survived by his wife of 59 years Dianne Morrison, daughters Stacey Morrison and her partner Ricky Dosedlo, Denise Morrison, Susan Morrison and her husband, Timothy Ouellette; grandchildren Isabella Morrison-Ouellette and her husband Joncarlo Avila, Abigail Morrison-Ouellette, Sophia Koziell, Zachary Bowman and Nicholas Koziell, sister Evelyn Brower and many nieces and nephews. Eldon was predeceased by his parents and brothers Colon and Maynard Morrison.
Relatives, friends and business associates are invited to attend a time of visitation from 4-7PM on Thursday October 20 ,2022 at Jones, Rich and Barnes Funeral Home, 199 Woodford Street in Portland, Maine. Those wishing to send a tribute in Eldon’s memory may do so at www.jonesrichandbarnes.com.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that any memorial donations or contributions be made to the AGC Education Foundation, 188 Whitten Rd, Augusta, ME. 04330.
