Lawrence M. Morfey

Lawrence “Larry” Michael Morfey, 83, of Fulton, Illinois, and formerly of Savanna, passed away peacefully on Friday, September 25, 2026, at Big Meadows, surrounded by the love of his family.

Larry was born on February 18, 1943, in Madison, Wisconsin, the eldest child of Jimmie and Janice (Slack) Morfey. As a boy, his family moved to Hanover, and later Savanna, when his father took a job at the Army Depot, and Larry went on to attend Savanna High School. It was in Savanna that a fateful introduction by his future brother-in-law led Larry to the love of his life, Rosemary Mootz. At the time, Larry was driving a sharp 1964 Lavender GTO, which certainly didn't hurt his chances. Larry and Rose were married on July 8, 1967, in Savanna, beginning a beautiful, lifelong partnership that spanned nearly 60 years.

A dedicated and hardworking man, Larry spent 25 years working for the railroad, primarily with the Milwaukee Railroad and later the Soo Line, eventually retiring as a Track Foreman. Beyond laying track, Larry’s true legacy on the railroad was the guidance he provided. He was a proud mentor to countless young men starting their careers. Even years later, he deeply appreciated the phone calls he would receive from the "young fellas" calling to thank him for his guidance.

At home, Larry was a strict but fiercely loving father who instilled the value of hard work in his children. He was their biggest supporter and never missed a wrestling meet. Larry was also famously known by his family as a bit of a "clean freak". His motto was "Organized, Sanitized, and Neatly Kept," a standard he maintained with the help of his impressive collection of vacuums.

Larry knew how to enjoy life. He was a die-hard Green Bay Packers fan, and a proud team shareholder, with a house full of memorabilia to prove it. He also enjoyed cheering on Wisconsin Badger sports, watching Westerns and war movies, and appreciating nice cars. Some of his fondest memories were made taking family vacations every summer, especially the two weeks spent at the cabin on Castle Rock Lake in Wisconsin. In his later years, Larry and Rose loved escaping the Midwest winters to spend time out west in Arizona. Above all else, Larry just loved being with his family, sharing laughs with his children, grandchildren, uncles, and cousins.

He will be dearly missed by his beloved wife, Rosemary of Fulton; his four children, Marty (Laura) Morfey of Lodi, CA, Rick (Joan) Morfey of Savanna, IL, Monica (Paul) Smiley of Savanna, IL, and Brigitte (Matt) Gearhart of Chicago, IL; eleven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; his brother, Micky Morfey; and two sisters, Sheryl Pretcher and Kathy (Marty) Drury.

Larry is preceded in death by his parents, Jimmie and Janice; his mother-in-law, Pauline; two sisters-in-law, Ruth Morfey and Lenora Westberg; and two brothers-in-law, Larry Mootz and Louis Pretcher.

The Morfey family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the care teams at Big Meadows and Mercy Health Hospice. Your empathy and care helped ease their minds during this difficult time.

A Celebration of Life will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at the Savanna Moose Lodge. Please join the family if you are able, to share Larry stories, laughs, and love.