William (Bill) T. Morton, 77, died at Angels Care Center in Cannon Falls, Minn., on Monday, Dec. 19, 2011.

Bill was born March 23, 1934, in Grand Rapids, Minn., to the late Paul and Burnett Morton. He was a great student, attending the local schools and graduating from Greenway High School in 1952. He went on to college, receiving an Associate in Arts degree from Itasca Junior College and then graduating from Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minn., in 1957 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry.

In 1968, Bill moved to Austin, Minn., where he worked for the Hormel Institute until he retired in 1991. Bill loved the outdoors, enjoying camping, hunting and fishing. He was an animal lover and over the years always had a pet including many dogs and cats. He loved reading and was always expanding his already vast knowledge. He loved to create and build things, not only in his work, but for things that interested him personally. During his life he built his own canoe, snowshoes and telescopes.

Bill is survived by his daughters, Myrna (Ken) Raisanen of Superior, Wis., Wylma (Dale) Minkkinen of Cloquet, Minn., Velma Morton of Duluth, Minn. and Paula Morton of Duluth, Minn.; 11 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother, Tom Morton of San Diego, Calif.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by Norma Bruyere Morton, and Gloria Beeman Morton.

A memorial service for William Morton will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, March 23, 2012, at Williams-Lobemeier Funeral Home with a luncheon to follow.

We would like to thank all of the staff of the Angels Care Center for their help and support of our family during this difficult time.