Morris N O’Quin, Jr.
1961-2009
Morris N O’Quin, Jr., age 48, passed away Sunday April 19, 2009 in Springfield, Missouri. He was born January 16, 1961 in Ft. Smith, Arkansas to Morris and Gloria O’Quin, Sr. Morris was a Christian and had a close personal relationship with God his entire life. He began each day with his Bible devotional and prayer.
As a teenager Morris displayed his qualities of commitment and leadership in achievements in 4-H where he raised five Grand Champion Steers. He was also active in the Boy Scouts of America, where he reached the elite rank of Eagle Scout. He achieved educational success despite a lifelong struggle with dyslexia. He attended the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and during his tenure there was asked by the Dean of Students to develop a self-help, mentoring and support program to assist future dyslexic students in the transition to college. The program he developed became the premiere program for learning disabled students, and the program’s foundation is now used nationwide. He was U of A’s first recipient of the Golden Signet Award for “firmly engraving a permanent mark of excellence on student life at the University of Arkansas”. Morris graduated from the University with a Major in Agronomy and Minor in Business Administration in 1985.
Morris married the love of his life, Dana in 1987 and the following year they created a magical home on top of Gaither Mountain. They lived, loved and shared a life of travel, rollicking adventure, laughter and tears for 21 years. They are proud and blessed with an amazing son Marrick, age 19 and beautiful daughter Morgan, age 16. Morris passionately treasured and adored his wife and children and loved them unconditionally and completely.
Morris pursued his career in the agricultural arena where he worked as a crop consultant on rice, soybeans, wheat and cotton. He joined the United States Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency (formerly Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation Service) in 1986 as the County Executive Director and has proudly served the farm families of Boone and Newton County since 1988. He has long been actively involved on a State and National Level for the Association of Farm Service Agency County Office Employees (AASCOE/NASCOE). He served multiple terms as past President of AASCOE and served terms as a NASCOE board member as well as other positions. He received multiple honors for his work for the advocacy of family owned farms and the employees who serve them, including the NASCOE Distinguished Service Award in 2000. He fervently supported the National Association of Farmer elected Committees (NAFEC) and their mission to promote the farmer elected committee system for local administration of farm programs. The Farmers Market on the Square in Downtown Harrison will greatly miss the best tomatoes in the county that his family brought in each summer from the family garden that was Marrick and Morgan’s responsibility under Morris’s tutelage.
Morris was actively involved in the Harrison community and is a past president of the Noon Lion’s Club and past recipient of the Lion of the Year Award. He could be found at every Crawdad Days Festival gleefully frying the best catfish in the county to support the club’s efforts to serve those here in this community. Morris was a great cook and home brewer. His multitude of friends will so miss the wonderful meals and libations he happily fixed for them on numerous occasions.
Morris is survived by his wife, Dana and their children Marrick and Morgan; his parents Morris Sr. and Gloria O’Quin, Sr. of Forrest City, AR. He is also survived by his sister Karen O’Quin and nephew Colin O’Quin of Atlanta GA. He was a soft spoken larger than life character with a generous, magnanimous, loving heart and spirit that will be terribly missed by all those that knew and loved him.
A memorial service for Morris will be held at First Baptist Church in Harrison Arkansas at 10:00 A.M, Friday, April 24, 2009. Interment will be at Plumlee Cemetery following the service. Memorials may be made to the O’Quin Children Scholarship Fund attn: Sandy Grisham at First Federal Bank, PO Box 550, Harrison AR 72602. There will be a visitation at Holt Memorial Chapel Thursday, April 23 from 5:30-7:00 followed by a gathering of friends and family at the12 Oaks Estate of Vive Allen on Hwy 7 South for a celebration wake for this wonderful, beloved man who is sorely missed.
Pallbearers will be Mike Berry, Marty Conley, Steve Davis, Larry Segars, Tom Garrison, Will Garrison, Phil Milan and Cole Sims.
Honorary Pallbearers are the farmers of Boone and Newton County, members of AASCOE, NASCOE and NAFEC and the Harrison Noon Lion’s Club.