A local Ballston Spa resident and longtime member of VFW Post 358 was honored posthumously on Wednesday, Dec. 7 for his work with the veteran’s organization and the community.
The late Maurice “Christopher” Morley was honored with a dedication ceremony at the VFW Post on North East Street in Ballston Spa, with the new picnic pavilion behind the building was named in his memory. Morley had the distinction of being the oldest, active member of the post.
“We have chosen to dedicate the building on this date because it is Pearl Harbor Day and Mr. Morley was always proud of the fact that he served in the US Marines aboard the USS Essex in the Pacific and the Philippines during the Second World War,” said VFW Post 358 Commander Earl “Doc” Manning.
Enlisting in the service on Sept. 11, 1942, Morley join the VFW soon after his return. When he passed away in July at the age of 89, Manning said he was months away from celebrating his 70th anniversary as a member of Post 358.
“Chris was a true patriot, through and through” said local author Ann Hauprich. “Believed the best in the nation, for what it is and what it stands for.”
As the Village History Consultant, Morley worked with Hauprich as she wrote several books about the history of Ballston Spa. Some of the proceeds from “Ballston Spa: Legacies Unlimited” are donated to Maurice “Christopher” Morley Literacy Fund, which was established through the rotary. The fund is now administered by the Ballston Spa school district to recognize elementary school students who overcome struggles with reading.
“He struggled with dyslexia throughout his life, so reading was something important to him,” said Hauprich. “[While working on the book] he would tell me stories of Ballston Spa’s past and I would write them down.”
Because of the war and the effort it took for him to read, Morley was unable to graduate with his class. He finally received his high school diploma while in his eighties.
During his years in the military, Morley worked as an aircraft gunner in the Pacific Theater during World War II. He returned home with more than a dozen battle stars for his service.
Morley remained a dedicated member of the VFW and the Rotary, while continually supporting the Brookside Museum and local history. In his spare time, he created woodcarvings and toys he would demonstrate for children who visited the museum.
“He helped lay the first brick of our new building when it was built in the late 1950s,” said Manning. “He was a very hands-on person. Eventually he couldn’t do much because of his age, but if he could help out in some way, he did.”
Manning said Morley often visited the post during the construction of the pavilion to “oversee” the project, having no idea it would soon be named in his honor. “He was a fixture here and will be missed.”
Hauprich called Morley “a pillar of the community.”
“He was always looking for ways to serve long after he took off his marine uniform,” she said. “We will never see anyone like him again.”
