Richard G. Morris

Morris-Richard G., age 89, of Ridge, formerly of Oakdale, died May 2 after a long illness, surrounded by his family.  He was a former vice president of The CIT Group, a Manhattan-based financial firm.  Richard was born in Astoria, Queens on April 13, 1927, the second of four sons born to John Thacher and Mary Bond Morris.  He grew up in Babylon Village, attended St. Joseph’s Parochial School and was a member of the Babylon High School Class of 1945.  He joined the Navy during World War 2 shortly before graduation and received his diploma belatedly, as many veterans did.  He spent two years at a state college in Plattsburg, NY, then two years at New York University in Manhattan, earning a business degree.  Richard worked for Dun and Bradstreet Inc. as a credit analyst, then for the Oakdale-based Puntervold Construction Company.  He later became an official of the William Iselin Co., a financial factoring firm in Manhattan, before joining CIT, a company of Manufacturers Hanover.  Richard and his late wife Pauline, who died in 2014, also operated an insurance business for several years.  He retired at age 60.  The couple moved from Oakdale to Ridge 16 years ago and kept a winter home in Sarasota, FL.  Both were avid golf and tennis players.  They also loved to entertain and gave frequent parties surrounded by family and friends who were often amazed by Pauline’s culinary talents and Richard’s life-of-the-party spirit, such as leading “sing-alongs” to cheer the occasion.  His father and his late older brother John T. Morris Jr. each served 12 years as Babylon Village trustees and his great grandfather, George H. Thacher was four times mayor of Albany in the mid-nineteenth century.  Richard is survived by two children, Christine Pamlanye (and son-in-law David) of Oakdale and Richard T. Morris of Yaphank; four grandchildren: Samantha, Stacey, D.J. and Daniel Pamlanye, and a brother, Tom Morris (Elaine) of Dix Hills.  Reposing Moloney’s Bohemia Funeral Home, 1320 Lakeland Avenue, Bohemia, NY, where a religious service will be held Wednesday, 8 pm.  Funeral Thursday 10 am.  Interment Calverton National Cemetery, Calverton, NY.  Richard will be buried next to Pauline and near two brothers, John T. and George H.  Visiting Wednesday 2-4 and 7-9 pm.