Robert Joseph "Bob" Morrisey

Robert “Bob” J. Morrisey, 85, of Sioux City, IA, died peacefully at home on April 23, 2024, surrounded by family. He had recently been diagnosed with metastatic cancer.

A Celebration of Life is planned on July 27, 2024 at the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center from 11:30a to 2:30p. Bob will be buried at Calvary cemetery. 

Bob was born on July 25, 1938 in Kansas City, MO. He was raised and educated in Kansas City. He met his wife of 61 years, Jane Frances Nugent, at a wedding reception and they married a year later on December 29, 1962 in Kansas City, MO at St. Francis Church. Their devotion to each other over the course of the life they built was sound, true, and real. 

Bob was a lifelong learner and staunch believer in the power of education. He graduated from Bishop Lillis High School in 1955 (Kansas City, MO). He served in the US Army 1957-59. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Kansas City Art Institute in 1963, his Master of Arts degree in 1968 and his Doctorate (PhD) in 1970 from the University of Missouri in Kansas City. 

An ardent supporter of continual growth and development, to Bob there were infinite returns on investing in all forms of education. He was an earnest communicator and determined listener, seeking to understand the world around him. 

Bob was a fixer and a doer who always had something to work on - having been steadily employed since the age of 11 years, Bob grew up with a work ethic that he continuously honed. In his youth, he was a golf caddy and grocery store sacker. Later, a memorable stint in the Stanley Hall Frame Shop in Kansas City in an effort to support his burgeoning career as an artist - but as the story goes, art didn’t pay the bills. He and Jane moved their young family to Sioux City in 1969 and Bob became the Director of Educational Research at Briar Cliff College. The Morriseys settled into the Sioux City community. 

When Bob was pitched a career curveball, he pivoted to sales to support his growing family. He became a successful independent life insurance salesman and financial planner for the remainder of his career. During his early sales career, there was an office calendar hanging on the wall. On successful days, for big sales, a gold star got stuck on the calendar for a job well done. Bob would tell you that the work you do and the people you work with matter. It is important to try for the gold star, and to give it readily when it’s been earned. In his last weeks of life, he kept a roll of gold star stickers on hand to give in thanks and acknowledgement to all of his visitors, caregivers, family, and friends.

Bob was an accomplished artist and received numerous awards and accolades for his work. In his later life, he focused almost exclusively on watercolors and landscape scenes. He was particularly proud of exhibiting his Stone Park-focused watercolors at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in October of 2017. 

He was a voracious reader and prolific weekly letter writer. He spent countless hours exploring his family’s genealogy. In his youth, he wanted to be a park ranger, and although that did not come to pass, he brought his love of the outdoors to many of his life’s pursuits. He was a creative and patient gardener and landscaper and spent much of his life devoted to the care and continuity of our natural world.

He once proclaimed he could “pinch a penny harder than anyone he knew” and he combined his love of thrift and investments with many of his pursuits - stamp and coin collecting, maintaining rental properties during his time as a moonlight landlord, shopping bargain centers and pawn shops. A day did not pass when he wasn’t reminding someone to “turn off the lights." Once, Bob said, “The Dollar Store went up to a dollar and a quarter. Well, that ruined my whole life,” followed by his familiar head shake and chortle.

He was a tireless member, volunteer and philanthropist who impacted the Sioux City community in so many generous ways. To name just a few of his many contributions: Western Iowa Tech former faculty member and board member; Blessed Sacrament greeter and council member; past president of the Siouxland Estate Planning Council; supporter of the annual Sioux City Public Library book sale; an annual volunteer at the NAIA women’s basketball tournament and the 4th of July Saturday in the Park. He was a strong supporter of veterans and a champion for the VA; a longtime member of a weekly golf league as well as Monday night bowling league at Plaza Bowl. 

Bob was a unique person, a steadfast family man, the epitome of a caring, reliable and supportive provider. He embodied determination, patience, self-compassion, and adaptability. He saw things through to the end. Perhaps his greatest legacy was the way he role-modeled the persistent pursuit and commitment to what you enjoy doing, to your responsibilities, to your loves, to your beliefs; to the development of what it means to be a human being.

He is so very missed. 

Bob is survived by his wife, Jane F. Morrisey of Sioux City, daughter Erin Martinez (Phil) of Albuquerque, NM, daughter Kendall Rider of Omaha, NE (Rick), daughter Mary Morrisey of Denver, CO, son Jason Morrisey of Denver, CO (Teresa), granddaughter Maggie Morrisey of Omaha, NE, grandson Maxwell Pope of Chicago, IL, granddaughter Drew Morrisey of Aurora, CO, granddaughter Brenna Morrisey of Aurora, CO, great-grandson Orlando Weidner of Omaha, NE, and great-grandson Jaxson Mayrose of Aurora, CO, and his brother Daniel P Morrisey of San Diego, CA.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Charles Emmett and Beatrice Crevan Morrisey of Kansas City, MO, brother William Max Morrisey of Lee’s Summit, MO, and brother Phillip H Morrisey of Kansas City, MO.