In Memoriam: Professor Howard Morris

[Guest ASBMR]

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Professor Howard Morris. Professor Morris was an accomplished medical scientist, educator and administrator. Professor Morris gave the prestigious Louis Avioli memorial lecture on vitamin D metabolism in bone at the ASBMR 2019 Annual Meeting in Denver and regularly attended ASBMR meetings as an ASBMR member. He most recently held the position of President of the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) and chaired the IFCC-International Osteoporosis Foundation Joint Workgroup on Standardization of Bone Turnover Markers (2012-2017).  Above all, he was a gentleman and a professional in all that he did. He will be remembered for his many contributions to clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine worldwide, especially in the area of Vitamin D and bone metabolism, and for his mentorship of many successful Australian scientists. Join us in recognizing Professor Morris’ contributions to science by sharing a memory or contributing a donation in his honor.

[Guest René St-Arnaud]

I had the privilege to spend 3 weeks in Adelaide as a visiting professor in 2011. Howard was our host and my wife and I have wonderful memories of the moments shared with him and his wife Helen. The friendship was immediate and maintained by encounters at meetings but also through regular correspondence. Despite the distance, the long e-mails or letters that we exchanged made me feel very close to him.

Howard was a gentleman and a true mentor to colleagues and trainees. It was a pleasure to talk about science in particular and life in general with him. He was extremely generous. I will miss his mischievous smile and infectious laugh and will always remember him fondly.

My heartfelt condolences to Helen, his daughter Lisa and his grandkids that he adored, Benjamin and Ella.

René.