James D (Dud) Morris, 99, US Navy/WWII veteran, Elgin, TX, 02 Apr 2025

[markwells]

Confirmed mission: The Patriot Guard Riders have been invited to participate in the interment service for Mr. James D Morris.  Mr. Morris served in the US Navy for three years during WWII and survived the Battle of Iwo Jima.  He left the service with the rank of Boatswain’s Mate Second Class.

More about his life can be read here.

Date/Time: Wednesday, 02 April 2025.  Time pending, probably late morning.

Location: Providence-Jones Family Funeral Home, 604 TX-95, Elgin, TX 78621. We will stage at the funeral home.
map link: https://goo.gl/maps/QfBphQ544RR2

Timeline:
9:30 – 10:15 am – Staging
10:15 am – Briefing
10:30 am – KSU at the direction of the family.

Wx: 88 deg F, partly cloudy

Notes: This mission is a motorcycle accompaniment of the family from the funeral home to Lawhorn Cemetery, located NE of Elgin on FM 619, an approx. 15 mile ride.  No LEO.  This mission is for motorcycles only.  No PGR cages will be in the procession.  Once we arrive at the cemetery we will ride past it while the family enters for the private interment event.

Ride Captain: Patti Hutto, patti.donlon@gmail.com, (512) 636-6374
Flag Wrangler: N /A

Please attend to honor this sailor who fought bravely to preserve freedom many years ago.

[Patti Hutto]

It was a nice day for a ride with overcast clouds and temps in the mid 70s this morning. I left the house in Liberty Hill at 8am to arrive at the funeral home in Elgin by 9:30am staging. 5 Patriots rode out from various locations, including our Deputy State Captain, Mark. We both had our big flags on display, so it was only fitting that Mark brings up the rear with his flag. With me of course in front with the service flag and American flag as the Ride Captain.

It was actually at Boatswain’s Mate Second Class James (Bud) Morris’ request prior to his death that he be escorted by the PGR instead of having any pop and circumstance with the Masons. Bud was a member of the Freemasonry. It’s not every day we get the honor and privilege to escort a 99-year old WWII vet (Iwo Jima survivor). Bud was very active right up to the end with riding horses and weekend dance halls.

Since this was an escort only mission, there were no flags at either the funeral home, or at the cemetery. Therefore, I stood at the entrance of the funeral home to alert PGR members (as the norm is to look for the American Flags). I received several horn gestures from passing motorists during the staging portion, which in and of itself is a humbling feeling where strangers pay their condolences to a Vet.

The LEO escort route took us right past Bud’s house, where a family member recorded the procession. It was nice to see on-coming traffic pull over to a stop and respect the funeral procession. There are still decent folk who support our troops and veterans. Truly amazing to witness.

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