Janet Anderson MORSE

Janet Anderson Morse, Chesterfield, MO, passed away on July 11, 2023. Janet came from a large Swedish family from South St. Louis that was community minded and full of music. She grew up near Grant’s Farm off Gravois Road eventually graduating from Washington University where she majored in physical education, was on the synchronized swimming team, a member of Gamma Phi Beta sorority and where she met her husband, James Buckner (Buck) Morse (deceased). After Buck’s service in the Army in El Paso, TX, they moved to Austin, TX where Janet received a fellowship to take courses towards her master’s in education and taught in the University of Texas Physical Education Department while Buck pursued his civil engineering degree. While mostly living in the St. Louis area, she and Buck made an adventurous decision in 1966 to take their young family of three boys, True, Roger and Stuart, to live in Spain for Buck’s job with Ralston Purina. That led to later living in Tehran, Iran, before returning to St. Louis in 1969. Janet loved the outdoors and especially owning and riding horses which started in Spain. For 8 years, she and Buck owned a 600-acre working registered Black Angus cattle farm in central Missouri while still living in West St. Louis County. The whole family was involved with the sons spending their summers working on the farm as well as weekends during the school year. In 1993 Janet along with her youngest son Stuart and his wife Stacey moved to a six-acre property in Wildwood, MO. She lived at the property for 30 years until she moved into a skilled nursing facility in Spring, 2023. No matter what Janet became involved in, she often ended up in leadership roles. Janet leaves a tremendously rich legacy that is rooted in shared family experiences, music, large holiday gatherings, leadership, and stories that have created enduring bonds. She is survived by her brother Thor (Shirley), son True (Jane), daughter-in-law Leslie (Roger-deceased) and Stuart (Stacey) along with six grandchildren (Nick, John, Adrian, Merill, Helen, True) and three great grandchildren (Nick-Cecile, True, Peter). The family requests that any memorial gifts be made to The Ethical Society of St. Louis, 314-991-0955 or the Southern Poverty Law Center (splcenter.org, a civil rights advocacy organization

Janet Anderson MORSE

March 9, 1929 - July 11, 2023