Former Greene County Sheriff William L. “Willie” Morris shot himself Thursday because of a constant roar in his ears, he wrote in a final letter.
“I hope that my death will help bring about some cure for those that suffer with tinnitus, by bringing attention to it,” he wrote. “It is important that my life will not be wasted.”
Morris had suffered from the condition since September, and by the end of his life heard a constant noise in both ears.
“He described it as like a buzz saw constantly,” his daughter Lisa Morris said.
Morris developed the condition after a weightlifting mishap, his daughter said. He had lifted for many years, winning several championships.
One day, as he squatted, he lost control of the weight, which went over his head, she said. It’s not clear exactly what happened in his body to cause the condition, but that was when it began, Lisa Morris said.
For now the family is asking that, in lieu of flowers, well-wishers make donations to the American Tinnitus Association. In the future, his daughter hopes to set up something permanent in Morris’ honor.
“He took the time to actually tell me this, in a letter that he wrote, so it’s very important that I bring attention to this,” she said.
As sheriff, Morris was known for his bold efforts to spotlight his favored causes. He received national news coverage early in his two-decade tenure by holding a bake sale to raise money for drug enforcement.
Lisa Morris said that she hadn’t known much about tinnitus until her father began suffering.
“I didn’t know a lot about it until he had sent me an e-mail, and I went to the [American Tinnitus Association] Web site, and according to that Web site, … an estimated 12 million Americans suffer with chronic tinnitus,” she said.
The exact cause of tinnitus is unknown, but several things, including noise exposure and head and neck trauma, are known to trigger or worsen tinnitus, according to the association. There is no cure. Some patients are able to manage the condition, but treatments are not uniformly effective.
Morris’ family also spoke Friday about how much they loved him.
His mother, Margaret, said her son checked in on her at least twice a day.
“He was such a good son,” she said.
Lisa Morris said he spent a couple of weeks last summer visiting with his 10-year-old grandson.
“They would go fishing, and he took him over there [to a nearby lake] to see the fireworks, and my son just really, really enjoyed that a lot,” she said.
The pair also visited Luray Caverns and Skyline Drive.
She added, “He was just a good person, he was just a good father, and we’re going to miss him terribly.”
The family will receive friends from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Ryan Funeral Home in Ruckersville. A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at Evergreen Church of the Brethren.
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