William Mark Morse, age 59 of Knoxville, TN, passed away Saturday, October 15, 2022.
Mark was born in Montgomery, AL, on October 3, 1963, son of the late Carthel Dean & Gloria Richards Morse. He graduated from Franklin High School in Franklin, TN in 1981. During his high school career, Mark earned the rank of Eagle Scout in Troop 1.
Mark was an accomplished athlete and loved all sports. He was a receiver on the Franklin High football team, as well a member of their track & field team and participated in decathlon events. Mark went on to attend the University of Tennessee Knoxville and graduated in 1985 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Historic Preservation & Architecture. During his tenure there, Mark was on the UT Rowing Team.
Mark was a talented carpenter, woodworker, and craftsman, and he pursued the trades as a career. He eventually became a licensed contractor. Mark had a keen interest in genealogy and served as the family historian. He was a self-taught musician and played the guitar and the harmonica. Mark minored in French in college. He traveled to France many times to immerse himself in the culture, work on his language fluency and fine-tune his accent. Taking after his mother, Mark became extremely knowledgeable about antique furniture and musical instruments, particularly primitives and hand-made items. He was also a great lover of animals, nature, photography, and music.
Mark was preceded in death by his parents, Carthel Dean & Gloria Richards Morse. Survivors include his sister, Candace E. “Liz” Morse; his brother, John L. Morse; his nephew, Alan W. Morse; and his niece, Carol A. Morse; and many other relatives and close friends.
Burial services will be private for immediate family.
Expressions of sympathy may take the form of donations to the American Heart Association or your local humane society.
