Getting More Out of Life by Giving Back
Captured in the Korean Conflict and a bilateral below-the-knee amputee, Cecil McMorris lived with gratitude and gusto.
As partner, CFO, and office manager of Lubbock Artificial Limb & Brace, a company founded by her father, Cecil McMorris, Sheila McMorris Phillips is proud to carry on his legacy with her sons, Jason and Justin Phillips.
“Dad wanted to help everyone. His philosophy was you take care of your people first, the money will come,” Sheila says.
Lasting Gifts
Cecil passed away in 2009, but his legacy of compassion endures thanks to his wife, Nellie, who used a charitable trust to create two gifts in support of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC). The first is for the Cecil E. and Nellie McMorris Physical Therapy Scholarship Endowment for physical therapy students with financial need. The other provides funding for The Big Cure Endowment for cancer research.
The McMorris family has a long history of personally supporting the Texas Tech System, as well as serving as a prosthetic training partner, working with students at TTUHSC. Cecil deeply valued education. While he never progressed past the eighth grade, he made sure all his and Nellie’s children and grandchildren were well educated.
From Texas to Korea and Back Again
Cecil was born in Texas and enlisted in the Army when he was 17 years old. He deployed to Japan and then to Korea. There, he fought in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, a fierce encounter that spanned 17 frigid winter days. The soldiers were outnumbered 4-to-1 by the Chinese army.
“Dad was shot, captured, thrown out of a truck, rolled down a hill and left for dead,” Sheila says. Cecil survived by hiding in a boat on a frozen lake for a week until the Marines rescued him.
The frostbite and gangrene he endured cost him dearly, with both legs having to be amputated below the knee. For his outstanding bravery, Cecil was awarded a Purple Heart.
Living His Values
Cecil never let his prosthetics limit his ambitions. He helped amputees walk again, reunited with several living veterans he served with in Korea, and was a lifelong member of Disabled Veterans of America. He lived life to the fullest, riding horses, waterskiing, running his business, and raising his family.
Now, they are seeing to it that the future Red Raiders will benefit from Cecil’s determination to make a difference and bring joy to others.
“He always wore bright yellow shirts,” Sheila recalls. “It was his way of putting happiness out there.”
Let Your Kindness Shine
Like Cecil and Nellie, you can create a scholarship, or contribute to an existing fund, to continue your impact on the Texas Tech University System. For information on smart ways to give, contact Nathan Rice, CFRE at 806-742-1781 or nathan.rice@ttu.edu.