John Gideon Morris

It is with great sadness the family of John Gideon Morris announces his passing on May 16, 2025, at the age of 81, at his home in Atlanta, GA, from a short illness. Sonny, as he was known, was born on July 15, 1943, to the late John Gideon Morris and Jewel Windham Morris of Geneva, Alabama, and Blue Mountain Beach, Florida. He is survived by his loving wife of 41 years, the former Christina Wilton White.

Mr. Morris graduated from Geneva High School in 1961, where he distinguished himself both academically and athletically. He was selected for Who’s Who Among American High School Students, served as President of the Student Council, and was captain and quarterback of the football team. In 1960, he was named to the Alabama All-State Football Team. Remarkably, having never run the high hurdles, he finished 2nd in the 1961 Alabama State Track Meet. In 2014, Sonny was inducted into the Geneva High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

Wishing to hone his talents led him to a postgraduate year at the McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In addition to being an honor student, Mr. Morris’s athletic talent earned him numerous accolades during his time at the McCallie School. In football, he was named to the 1961 All-City Team, the 1961 Tri-State Officials’ Team, and the 1961 All Mid-South Team. In track and field, he was awarded the Wilson Memorial Medal and set the school record in high hurdles. He went on to place third in the high hurdles at the 1962 Tennessee State Track Meet. In recognition of his outstanding athletic achievements, Mr. Morris received the McCallie School's prestigious Steven Athletic Medal for Best All-Around Athlete. In 1989 Mr. Morris served on the Board of Advisors for the McCallie School.

Through determination and tenacity, Sonny earned multiple college football scholarships, ultimately selecting Duke University, drawn by its striking Gothic architecture and inspired by the team's victory in the 1961 Cotton Bowl. Sonny earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Duke University in 1966. During his time there, he was an active member of the Judicial Board of the Inter-Fraternity Council, the Freshman Governance Committee, the Old Trinity Club, and was honored with inclusion in the Who’s Who in American Universities and Colleges. He was a member of the Duke University track team and earned first place in the high hurdles at the 1963 Big Four Universities Track Competition.

Sonny was a proud member of the Duke University football team from 1962 to 1966, serving as a starting defensive back during his junior and senior years. In recognition of his exceptional performance, he was named Outstanding Defensive Back in 1964 by the Duke-Durham Club. Throughout his football career, Sonny was regularly featured in the sports pages of the Durham Herald-Sun, reflecting his prominence on the field. His years at Duke University were among the most rewarding of his life, especially the lifelong friendships he formed with his Phi Delta Theta fraternity brothers, with whom he continued to enjoy their annual trips.

Mr. Morris entered Emory University School of Law in 1966 as a scholarship student, where he discovered a passion and enthusiasm for learning that would shape the course of his professional career. During his time at Emory, he earned numerous academic honors, including Most Outstanding First and Third Year Student, the Order of the Coif national scholastic society, Omicron Delta Kappa honor society, the Wall Street Journal Student Achievement Award, the Bryant Society Award, and the Faculty Achievement Award. He served as Associate Editor of the Journal of Public Law in 1968 and participated in the Regional Moot Court Competition, where he received the Appellate Advocacy Award and the Phi Alpha Delta Gavel Award. Mr. Morris also served as President of Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity. He earned his juris doctor with distinction in 1969.

In 1976, he co-founded a new law firm that would become Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP. Together with seven fellow attorneys, they accomplished what many considered impossible. The firm’s early challenges were met with sheer force, optimism, personal commitment, and the intangible qualities that laid the foundation for its enduring strength and success. Mr. Morris envisioned a firm with a clear and compelling notion: to create an environment where the highest caliber of legal work could be accomplished through collegial collaboration, innovation, transparency, and integrity. Under his guidance as Co-Founder, and Chairman Emeritus, the firm grew into one of the largest real estate practices in the United States.

Sonny was widely known for his entrepreneurial leadership, unparalleled negotiating skills, and remarkable ability to rescue and complete complex transactions. Throughout his distinguished career, he was consistently sought after for his insightful counsel and innovative, forward-thinking approach to dealmaking. His true strength lay in his deep understanding of his clients' business and his ability to help them reach the next level.

His strategic mindset and visionary thinking established him as the consummate dealmaker. Sonny played a pivotal role in shaping both the legal and business landscapes of Atlanta and was widely regarded as one of the nation’s preeminent commercial real estate attorneys. In recognition of his professional accomplishments and contributions to the legal community, Mr. Morris was honored with the Emory University School of Law Distinguished Alumni Award in 2014. His legacy is further commemorated through the naming of a conference room in Emory’s Gambrell Hall for the firm, Morris Manning & Martin, LLP. Mr. Morris’s groundbreaking work in real estate law earned him numerous national accolades. He was named a Trailblazer in Real Estate and Construction by the National Law Journal and honored from 2010-2018 as Lawyer of the Year in Real Estate by Best Lawyers in America. In 2015, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Fulton County Daily Report. From 2004 to 2018, he was consistently recognized as a Georgia Super Lawyer by Atlanta Magazine. Additionally, from 2010 to 2018, he was listed among the Top Lawyers in Real Estate by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. In 2009, he was ranked in The Legal 500 as a Leading Attorney in Real Estate & Construction. In 2012, Real Estate Forum magazine named Mr. Morris one of 24 Atlanta Real Estate Icons.

Mr. Morris also possessed a rare gift for making people feel seen, valued, and uplifted. Those attributes significantly shaped the culture of the firm. In his final days he received an outpouring of love and gratitude from so many colleagues and clients who shared how he influenced and changed the course of their lives.

Never one to embrace the concept of retirement, in 2020 leaving the practice of law, he immediately formed Sirrom Consulting, LLC, a business advisory company. His valued advice continued to guide clients through complex business matters.

He was a member of several legal and real estate professional associations and served on advisory boards. Sonny was also engaged in civic and philanthropic efforts. Among those he enjoyed were being a member of the Buckhead Coalition for twenty years and serving as the 2011-2012 Chairman. He was Director of the Sam and Francis H. Educational Foundation that benefited the McCallie School, The Lovett School, and Duke University.

He was an active member of the General Society of Colonial Wars, both the Atlanta and Palm Beach Chapters. He served on the Executive Council and Board of Governors of the Buckhead Club. He was also a member of the Waterfall Club in Clayton, GA., and a life member of both the Capital City Club and the Piedmont Driving Club.

Growing up just an hour’s drive from his family’s homes in Grayton Beach and later Blue Mountain Beach, Florida, the Gulf Coast became the heart of Sonny’s family life. As an adult, he shared with his own family the daily rhythms and enduring joys of life at the beach. He and Christy could be found on the lawn in a pair of Adirondack chairs perched 65’ above the gulf, and, as he would say, enjoying a spectacular view, contemplating absolutely nothing. In 2004, the chairs would move to a boathouse with an equally spectacular view of Lake Burton, in the north Georgia mountains. Where, embracing life on the lake, they made new traditions with family, friends and grandchildren.

Sonny was simply fun and friendly. He had a magnetic personality—one that left a lasting impression and made people always remember having met him. Many people’s fondest memories will be of Sonny’s golf game, which included his good sense of humor and his incredible dance moves, where he never minded being the center of attention.

He is survived by his daughter, the former Lynn Windham Morris, and son-in-law Junius Rodes Fishburne, III, along with grandsons Junius Quinn Fishburne and Beckett Rodes Fishburne, all of San Francisco, CA.; his daughter, the former Rebecca Channing Morris, and son-in-law Clayton Edwards Childs, and granddaughter Callaway Campbell Childs, all of Denver, CO.; his son, John Gideon Spencer Morris of Cocoa Beach, FL; and his son, William White Clifton Morris of Atlanta, GA.; and several cousins including Flynn Dillard Morris, III and his wife Susan from Santa Rosa Beach, FL.

A memorial service will be held for Mr. Morris on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at 1p.m., at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church, 3180 Peachtree Road, NE, Atlanta, GA. 30305. A reception to celebrate his life will be held from 2:30 to 4:30pm at the Capital City Club, 53 West Brookhaven Drive, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia 30319.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Parkinson’s program, Movers and Shakers at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church, 3180 Peachtree Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30305 in care of the Business Office.