Henry M. Morris III's Obituary
Henry M. Morris III was born May 15, 1942 in El Paso, Texas, to Henry and Mary Louise Morris. The eldest son of six children, the family moved often as their father pursued his education and taught around the country. Raised in a strong Christian home, Henry was taught the Scriptures well. He soon recognized his sin and need for salvation and committed his life to Christ as a young boy.
An excellent student, Henry skipped a grade in elementary school—a notable achievement, but one he struggled with as he grew. As he entered high school, Henry began to rebel against his Christian upbringing. He joined the U.S. Army at 17, serving as a radar technician in Vietnam, and entered a season of wandering from the Lord. But God was faithful. Once he met his future bride, Janet Lee Deckman, on a blind date, Henry became convicted to seek the Lord’s will for his life. Soon after they wed in 1964, Henry enrolled in Bob Jones University to study to become a pastor. The prodigal son had come home.
God blessed Henry and Jan with two children, Henry IV in 1967 and Scotta Marie in 1968. Henry dropped out of school to support his family, and excelled in business for a time. His love for God’s Word never wavered, and he helped plant two churches while working during the week. Counseled by his father to complete his education, Henry moved the family to San Diego in 1975 and enrolled in Christian Heritage College. He quickly finished his degree and enrolled in seminary while serving as a professor and administrator, earning an M.Div and D.Min from Luther Rice.
In 1980, the newly minted Dr. Morris was called as senior pastor by First Baptist Canoga Park—one of the highlights of his life. In 1986 he left the ministry to excel as a business executive, earning his fourth degree in 1988 with a MBA from Pepperdine University. His love for the church remained strong, and he continued to teach Sunday school while speaking occasionally for the Institute for Creation Research (ICR).
Dr. Morris joined ICR full-time in 2000. God led Henry and Jan to Texas in 2004 to test the waters for ICR, hiring a small staff that worked out of their home. They joined First Baptist Dallas and Dr. Morris started a new Sunday school group—his beloved Genesis Class. Promoted to CEO in 2007, he oversaw ICR’s relocation to Dallas soon thereafter, and by 2010, Dr. Morris had installed a new generation of scientists and staff while keeping ICR firmly centered on its founding principles.
In 2011, Dr. Henry, as he was warmly known by the ICR staff, became convicted of the need for a creation-based science museum to showcase the evidence that supports Scripture. This was Dr. Henry’s boldest undertaking, but God again proved faithful, and in 2019 his vision became reality when The ICR Discovery Center for Science & Earth History in Dallas opened to the public.
Dr. Henry has been at the heart of ICR's ministry for over two decades, using his gifts as a leader, dynamic speaker, and prolific writer to proclaim the truth of God’s Word. Dr. Henry contributed numerous Acts & Facts articles and Days of Praise devotionals, co-authored several books with his father and authored over 15 published works of his own, including the 750-page commentary The Book of Beginnings: A Practical Guide to Understanding Genesis. But he considered himself more a churchman than CEO, and he continued to preach and teach nearly every Sunday until the last year of his life. Other than his ordination to preach, he counted his ordination as deacon by First Baptist Dallas to be one of his greatest honors.
Dr. Henry is now reunited in glory with his father, Dr. Henry M. Morris Jr, his mother Mary Louise (Beach) Morris, and his brother Dr. Andrew H. Morris. He is survived by his lovely bride of 56 years, Jan (Deckman) Morris, son Henry M. Morris IV and wife Kelli, daughter Scotta Latka and husband Tom, and siblings Dr. Kathy Bruce (Les), Dr. John Morris (Dalta), Mary Smith (Paul), and Rebecca Barber (Don). Dr. Henry was loved as Grandpa and Papa by 9 grandchildren – Jacob, Emily (Aaron Allen), Samuel,
Luke, and Joseph Morris; Matthew (Lauren), Hannah (Rob Wegner), Michael, and Sarah Latka – and 5 great-grandchildren.
Memorial gifts in honor of Dr. Morris may be made to his two loves: Institute for Creation Research (ICR.org) and First Baptist Dallas (firstdallas.org)
Additional tributes to Dr. Morris’ life and legacy can be found at in “Dr. Henry M. Morris III: A Kingdom-Focused Life” and “In Loving Memory of Dr. Henry M. Morris III”
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