William S. Morris

Morris was born in Higginsville, Missouri, to mother Elizabeth Jung and father Cyrus Morris, with brothers Conrad "Jack" and Donald and sisters Mildred and Eunice. Morris went on to serve in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was awarded the Bronze Star, the Silver Star and the Air Medal. He was discharged at the rank of Major. Following his discharge from the Army, he returned to Missouri and began working in the mail room of the former Union National Bank in Kansas City, Missouri and attended the University of Kansas City (now UMKC) School of Law at night, earning a law degree. He rose to the position of Vice-President in charge of the Trust Division at the bank before leaving to become the manager of the Phillips family properties located throughout the United States, one of which was the Phillips Hotel in downtown Kansas City. He was a partner in the Kansas City law firm of Morris & Foust. He was an owner of the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority prior to its sale to the City of Kansas City. He founded the Kansas City Blues Hockey Club in 1967 and worked tirelessly to bring NHL hockey to Kansas City. He was appointed Public Administrator of Jackson County, Missouri by former Missouri Governor John M. Dalton. He served as the 39th Lieutenant Governor of Missouri from January 1969 to January 1973 under Governor Warren Hearnes.

Morris was a Methodist and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Freemasons, and the Shriners. Morris was married to the former Lucile Albers, also of Higginsville, Missouri and had one daughter, Lisa.