Bradley James Morrison, 58, of Wilmington, N.C., passed away Saturday, December 28, 2024, in Lower Cape Fear Hospice Life Care in Wilmington, surrounded by family following a lengthy courageous battle with cancer.
Quinn McGowen Funeral Home in Wilmington was entrusted to handle the arrangements for Bradley.
Bradley James Morrison, a son of Dr. Donald James and Mary Ellen Nelson Morrison, was born December 9, 1966, in Albert Lea, Minn.
He was preceded in death by his father; and his uncle, Earl Volney Nelson.
Brad is survived by his wife of 31 years, Michelle Leigh Wills Morrison; his children, Caitlin Ross and Heather Marie Morrison, all of Wilmington; his mother, Mary Ellen Nelson Morrison of Morgantown; his three siblings: Kathleen Ann Morrison Nelms of Elizabeth City, N.C.; Nina Marie Morrison of Morgantown; John Paul Morrison of Fairmont; uncle, Steve and wife Mary Lou Morrison of Emmetsburg, Iowa; various cousins, nieces, nephews, and four great- nieces.
After graduating from Morgantown High School in 1985, Bradley attended West Virginia University, where he earned a BA in Economics in 1993. He enjoyed playing trombone in the marching band, both in high school and college, where he forged lifelong friends and became an avid fan of the WVU Mountaineers.
After completing lifeguard training in college, Bradley worked at the WVU Natatorium (and a camp in the Poconos.) He especially enjoyed this job because he could swim laps in a bigger, indoor pool.
He served the community as a volunteer firefighter in Morgantown, and a driving instructor in Wilmington.
In 1991, Bradley moved to Wilmington to court Michelle. They married in 1993 and were blessed with two beautiful daughters, Caitlin and Heather. Being the father of those two girls was one of Brad’s proudest and most fulfilling life experiences.
In Wilmington, Brad worked as a delivery driver for Dominoes for several years until securing a job at Corning working with manufacturing optical fiber.
In 2012, Brad launched Rising Tide Pictures, his own video production business, where he filmed weddings, dance recitals, choir concerts, stage dramas, documentaries, quinceañeras, and studio interviews. You can find Bradley’s favorite project, “The Battle of Fort Fisher” reenactment (2020), housed in their museum.
A member of Pine Valley Methodist Church in Wilmington since the early 2000s, Bradley enjoyed the love and fellowship of the Pathfinder (Jim Maultsby) Sunday school class when he was able to attend.
Bradley was a loving husband, devoted father, brother, son, uncle, teacher, friend, film maker, and a community servant.
A celebration of life for Bradley was held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, January 2, in Pine Valley Methodist Church in Wilmington. Interment followed at Oleander Memorial Gardens in Wilmington.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Nina Morrison, 108 Scenery Drive, Morgantown, WV 26505. Please notate on the memo line, “The Bradley Morrison Memorial Fund” or “The BJM Memorial Fund.”
