Obituary of David Kerr Morton

David Kerr Morton Obituary: 1939-2020

David Kerr Morton, 80, moved on to the next realm at 5:50 a.m on April, 20, 2020. He passed quietly from old age and diabetes in his own place at Afternro retirement home in Duluth, Minnesota. Musical tributes from friends and family carried him home into the wild universe.

David was born to Unitarian parents Beatrice and Phillip Morton in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1939. He moving to Berkeley, California when he was 7 and they added two beautiful sisters to his life, Rebecca and Penelope. He grew up in St. Paul and attended Mound High but he always loved the West, summering in Jackson Hole as a teenager with his family. Dad enjoyed being outside and traveling to National and State Parks and museums. He taught us; after the climb, always take time to sit on a rock and listen.

David lived in upstate New York State, New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Larkspur, California, and of course 60 years in Minnesota in St. Paul, Minneapolis, Wawina, Angora, Cook, Virginia and Duluth. Mort lived in Angora for 40 years where he worked as a jeweler and as a cement finisher in the Plaster's & Cement Mason Union.

He was a self-proclaimed anarchist, artist and agitator and was an accomplished musician, painter, collage artist, published poet, talented jeweler and to many, a teacher. He loved his friends, community, sauna, drinking, cooking, reading, hiking, camping fishing, and traveling. David Morton Memorial Tribute is a public site where anyone to contribute to the Incredible "Expanding World of Dave Morton."

David was the charismatic founder of The Jook Savages; a Bay-area Jugband in the 1960s who shared the stage with Frank Zappa, The Grateful Dead, Blue Cheer, Quick Silver Messenger, Big Brother and the Holding Company...and the band was kept alive by original members David Morton and hundreds of people who loved jugband music, and  hundreds of folks he encouraged to play music, as well as West Coast founding member Richie Moon. He is preceded in death by so many musicians he played with including longtime partner in crime, rhythm guitar player, Ron Coon. Sing a song for Mort, play the kazoo too, if you have one.

David Morton, was a character in the '60s California counter-culture, tracked down by countless writers to talk about Bob Dylan, who was a friend in the Dinkytown days, and by historians documenting the Merry Pranksters, Wavy Gravy, Rick Griffin and others. He was a pacifist and activist, honored as one of 442 Freedom Riders jailed in 1961 in Jackson, Mississippi, successful in desegregating interstate bus travel in the summer of 1961.

Never a dull moment, David liked to push the boundary of rules and norms sharing this through humor. and artful social commentary. As an unrivaled historian, unbeatable chess player and dope-smokin' musician, David's impact is immeasurable and each of us hold our memories dear.

David is survived by his only grandson Maxwell Kerr Jenson, his daughters, Maija Jenson and Larkspur Morton and by their mother Shirley Morton, his sisters Penny Williams and Rebecca Jensen and by many more spouses, nieces & nephews. Love to you all from the Morton Swenson Jensen Jenson WIlliams Gibbs Harper Shaw Kerr family.

Gifts; David had a wonderfully comfortable three years at the non-profit retirement home, Aftenro. Please consider a donation to Aftenro in David's name. https://aftenro.org/donate/