Richard Morrow

George Richard Morrow, Jr., age 75, died on Sunday, March 3, 2024, at the North Carolina State Veterans Home in Salisbury surrounded by his devoted sisters, Susan and Maria, and loving cousin, Brenda Gaines. He was born on October 15, 1948 in Durham, North Carolina to the late George Richard Morrow and Stella Thomason Morrow.

Richard became an Eagle Scout at age 12. He was a 1966 graduate of East Rutherford High School. In 1970, he graduated from Appalachian State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics. Shortly after graduation, Richard joined the US Treasury Department as a special agent for the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) Division. In 1971 he was drafted into the US Army where he served as an Intelligence Analyst with the Military Bomb Disposal Unit. After his tour of duty, he resumed his work as a US Treasury agent. While serving with the ATF, Richard became the number one sharpshooter in the United States. In 1975, he moved to the Presidential Secret Service detail where he guarded multiple Presidential candidates for the 1976 Presidential election, including Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Ted Kennedy and George Wallace.  Richard was injured while guarding former Alabama Governor George Wallace and was later medically retired from the US Treasury Department.

Richard suffered a catastrophic fall in October 2022 which left him a quadriplegic. He put forth phenomenal effort and extreme determination in an effort to regain the use of his limbs. He presented each day with such appreciation and love for those who helped him through this heartbreaking and life-altering irreversible injury.

Richard married Nancy Ellis and is survived by his two sisters who adored him, Susan Morrow Feindel of Sanford, North Carolina and Maria Morrow Sutej and her husband, Paul Sutej of Atlanta, Georgia, nephew, Richard Feindel and wife, Gretchen Smythe, of Newton, Massachusetts, and nieces, Emily Peninger Guzzetti and husband, Dominic Guzzetti of Atlanta, Georgia, Elizabeth Feindel of Durham, North Carolina, and Mary Peninger Quinones and husband, Conrad Quinones, of Atlanta, Georgia, and great nieces, Sofia Maria Guzzetti and Evelyn Maria Quinones. He was preceded in death by his brother-in-law, Richard Feindel.

While Richard was loved by many cousins, he had a strong bond with his cousin, Brenda Gaines, who his sisters referred to as his special angel. She visited often during his physical rehabilitation. Richard looked forward to her visits, many phone calls and their day trips to the farm and to other areas around North and South Carolina. She kept a close eye on him to ensure that he always had what he needed.

Richard missed all of the wild animals on the farm and wanted to be sure that they were not forgotten. His first stop once he was able to return to Rutherford County was to buy sunflower seeds for the birds and corn and salt blocks for the deer. He made sure anytime anyone went to the farm that they fed the birds and the deer.

Richard was treated at the Shepherd Center Spinal Cord Unit in Atlanta, Georgia and at the VA Spinal Cord Unit at the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia. With his kindness, determination and will to regain his use of his limbs, his nurses and therapists became his friends.

Donations can be made in Richard’s memory to the Shepherd Center, 2020 Peachtree Road NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30309-1465, the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center Spinal Cord Unit, 950 15th Street, Augusta, Georgia 30904-2608, or to the North Carolina State Veterans Home, 1602 Brenner Avenue, Building 10, Salisbury, North Carolina  28144.

The funeral service will be held at 2 o'clock on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at the First United Methodist Church of Forest City with the Reverend Curtis Goforth officiating.  Interment with Military Honors will follow at the Rutherford County Memorial Cemetery.  The family will greet family and friends from 1 until 2 o'clock prior to the service at the church. 

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