Howardwick fireman succumbs to injuries

Howardwick volunteer fireman James McMorries died Sunday morning in Amarillo at the age of 62.

Funeral services were held Wednesday, April 12, at Paramount Terrace Christian Church in Amarillo with uniformed members of the Howardwick and Clarendon volunteer fire departments in attendance with Johnny Blalack and Regi Fowler officiating.  Burial was at 4 p.m. at the Masonic Cemetery in Seymour with arrangements by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors.

Mayor Pro-tem Marvin Elam called McMorries’ death a shock and ordered his city’s flag to half-mast for three days.

“James was tough; and we thought if anybody could pull through, it would be him,” Elam said. “But when you’re that far, you’re pretty well in God’s hands already.”

McMorries sustained numerous injuries while battling the I-40 fire on March 12. The vehicle he was driving overturned, sending him and two other volunteer firemen to the hospital.

While Jeff Cook, age 45, and Joseph Garcia, age 25, have since returned home and are making steady recoveries, McMorries suffered the most serious injuries and faced the most difficult and uncertain recovery.

Previous reports listed a broken back, broken ribs, and collapsed lungs as well as trauma to his head and spinal cord among his injuries. As recently as early last week he was said to be making some progress, but last weekend he was taken off life support and transferred to hospice care.

“I haven’t known James very long,” Elam said, “but he was a likeable guy, a really good guy, and a very fine man.”

Elam credited McMorries with helping to reinvigorate the Howardwick Fire Department, which was down to just a handful of members and incapable of defending its own community when the New Year’s Day fire broke out.

“A lot of younger guys didn’t know how to drive the older trucks, and he did,” Elam said. “He bought supplies – tires and radio equipment – out of his own pocket.”

Elam said the death of McMorries has been a hard loss for all the guys on the fire department and for the community.

James Wilson McMorries, Jr., was born April 4, 1944, in Seymour, Texas, and lived in Amarillo before making his home in Howardwick about a year ago.  He graduated from Amarillo High in 1962.  He was a member of the Clarendon Country Club, Howardwick Volunteer Fire Dept., National Association of Independent Fee Appraisers, Amarillo Association of Realtors, and the Khiva Shrine. He was a Master Mason and member of San Jacinto Lodge #1330, Palo Duro Lodge #1239, Amarillo Lodge #731, and Clarendon Lodge #700.

James married Tanis Price on May 3, 1997, in Amarillo. James owned and operated McMorries Appraisal Co. James was a loving son, husband, father, and Papaw and will be dearly missed by family and friends. 

James had a great sense of humor and a little stubborn streak to go along. He helped everyone he could even if he didn’t know them.

James was preceded in death by his mother, Helen McMorries. 

He is survived by his wife, Tanis, of Howardwick; his father and step-mother, James and Linda McMorries, of Jacksboro; three daughters, Annette Montano and husband Paul of Amarillo, Robin Schroeder and husband Jim of Mesa, Ariz., Brenda Harshman of Colorado Springs, Colo.; one step-daughter, Megan Bowes of Amarillo; one step-son, Kelly McWhorter and wife Dai of Amarillo; three sisters, Jo Helen Irwin and husband Terry of New Orleans, La., Judy Blalack and husband Johnny of Hobbs, New Mexico, Janet Williams and husband Johnny of Amarillo; three step-sisters, Brandy Gardner of Vernon, Sharmy Brownlee of Paducah, and Torry Stover of Mckinney; and eight grandchildren, Orie and Brett Dunn, A.J. and Allton Montano, Connor and Keenan Montoya, Connor McWhorter and Coble Bowes.

The family requests memorials be sent to the Volunteer Firefighters Fund at Amarillo National Bank, PO Box 1, Amarillo, TX 79105, in care of Jeff Cook and Joseph Garcia.