SPRINGFIELD – Longtime residents are mourning the loss of Bill Morrisette, a former educator, mayor, state senator, and lifelong public servant, who passed away on April 15 at the age of 92 due to natural causes.
“He was a true public servant and a pillar of Springfield’s story,” said Sean VanGordon, the mayor of Springfield, in a statement from the City.
Morrisette taught social studies at Springfield High School for 28 years before retiring in 1990.
“I always remember him with a smile, always ready to let his students express their thoughts. He was a positive and encouraging teacher. The world needs more men like him,” said Kathy McHarry, a former student, on his memorial page.
He served on the Springfield City Council 1987-89 and as mayor, and on the Lane Council of Governments Board of Directors from 1989 to 1999.
“Mr. Morrisette was a dedicated public servant whose commitment and leadership were evident in all his endeavors. He will be missed,” said Brenda Moore, executive director of LCOG.
Morrisette took his commitment statewide as a member of the Oregon Legislature from 1999 to 2010, first serving in the Oregon House of Representatives and then in the Oregon State Senate.
He played a crucial role in passing a Senate bill in 2007 that made Oregonians eligible for benefits through the Oregon Prescription Drug Program, which stemmed from a bill he co-sponsored in the 2003 session.
He also advocated for increased services for seniors and people with disabilities, anticipating what he referred to as “a virtual tsunami of aging baby boomers.”
Morrisette supported bills to fund essential alcohol and drug treatment programs through a beer tax increase, as well as legislation to enhance adult foster care services. Additionally, he co-sponsored a bill with former Rep. Terry Beyer, D-Springfield, allowing Springfield to establish its urban growth boundary.
“I remain a great believer in urban planning and cooperation between Springfield and Eugene, but I also believe that Springfield has unique growth challenges that can only be addressed through this legislation,” he stated at the time.
Education legacy
Drawing from his background in education, he effectively led initiatives to establish health education standards in Oregon. He was instrumental in passing a bill in 2008 that banned the sale of junk food in public schools, after advocating for it over three consecutive legislative sessions. He chaired the Senate Education Committee and was a member of the House Education Committee, sponsoring numerous other bills focused on education improvement.
In February 2005, he was one of three Oregonians, and the only legislator, recognized as a School Health Champion by the Healthy Kids Learn Better Coalition.
Morrisette served as President of the Oregon Mayor’s Association in 1993, directed a Mayor’s Committee aimed at creating permanent emergency and transitional housing, and promoted youth civic engagement by participating in Springfield and Thurston High Schools’ Model Government Day annually.
He also dedicated time to key regional committees, including the Springfield Filbert Festival Steering Committee, Springfield Tomorrow Project, and the Lane Regional Air Pollution Authority Board of Directors.
Morrisette received numerous awards and honors, including the Springfield Chamber of Commerce’s Distinguished Citizen of the Year in 1997, the Oregon Mayor of the Year award in 1994, and Lane County’s Elected Official of the Year in 1992, among others.
“Bill Morrisette embodied what it means to serve the community with compassion and clarity,” VanGordon said. “His work lives on in the civic institutions he helped strengthen, the students he inspired, and the countless lives he touched.”
Morrisette was born on October 18, 1931, in Anaconda, Montana. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Political Science from Carroll College in Helena, Montana, and a master’s degree in Education from the University of Oregon.
He was married for 61 years to his late wife, Janice, and together they raised eight children, 14 grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. He lived on G Street in Springfield and in Portland.
Funeral arrangements are pending, according to officials, and the family will release a complete obituary at a later date.
