Staff Sgt. Brian L. Morris of Centreville, Michigan didn't get to spend much time at home as an Army staff sergeant. But whenever he managed to get a break from his overseas deployment in Iraq, he spent as much time as he could with his wife, Lori, and their 5-year-old daughter. In July, he took his family to Chicago and Niagara Falls in what would be his last visit home. The family had a big barbecue at Lori's parents' home in Constantine so extended family members could see Brian before he left for Iraq again. Over the years, he had seen tours of duty in Bosnia, Afghanistan, South Korea and Germany. He was deployed to Iraq in December his second visit in an 18-year Army career. The structured military life suited Morris well. He enjoyed what he was doing. He enjoyed traveling and he believed he was making a difference with the things he did. A bout with testicular cancer forced him into temporary retirement from the Army in 1989. While he recovered, he took a job at a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in Three Rivers. It was there he met his wife. The two married March 30, 1991. Their daughter, Emilee, was born almost nine years later. He joined the Army after his graduation from Centreville High School in 1985, where he was a star cross-country runner. When he returned years later to speak to students, he had transformed from athlete to military man. He planned to retire from the military in April 2007. By then, he would have had 20 years of service. But what he really wanted, was to spend more time with his wife and daughter. In addition to his wife, daughter and mother, Leslie Morris he is survived by a sister, a brother and a grandmother. He was 38.

Army
360th Transportation Company
Fort Carson, Colorado