Paul J. Morris Died Sunday

**Paul J. Morris** died Sunday, January 28, 2018. He was born July 13, 1941 to Ruth (Smith) and Albert J. Morris who preceded him in death. He graduated from Versailles High School in 1959. Paul was a builder and creator and always had a pencil and notepad close by to jot down ideas. From laying hardwood in his daughter's homes to reconstructing historical cabins to spending time operating his backhoe, Paul collected items others would often discard, saving them for just the right project. His favorite projects included rebuilding a historical stone bridge and creating "Paul Henge," a collection of well tops that shows the exact change of seasons. It's built to align perfectly with the angle of sunlight on the solstice and equinox, similar to Neolithic stone circles. In addition to building projects, Paul had many enterprises over the years. He farmed, worked for Farm Bureau Insurance and was a national distributor for Bosch Lights, making lifelong friends at farm shows throughout the Midwest. Paul also loved traveling and telling stories. His storytelling was legendary and he always enjoyed sharing experiences and memories with friends and family. He traveled abroad and across the United States with his favorite trip being to Alaska in 2016. He was an involved community member and a member of the Indiana Freemasons fraternity. He was inducted into the Ripley County Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005. He is survived by his special friend, Karla Shelpman, daughters Paula (David) Hall of St. Charles, IL and Amy (Jeff) Liter of Batesville, IN and grandchildren Austin (Meen) Hall, Allison (Brandon) Woods and Meg Liter. He was preceded in death by his wife Barbara Prarat Morris, and his brother, Ken Morris. Visitation will be Saturday, February 3 from 10am-12pm at Stratton-Karsteter Funeral Home with a service immediately following at 12pm. Memorials may be made in his memory to the Holton Cemetery.