Carol Morrison of Montauk dies at 90

Longtime Montauk resident Carol Morrison died on Friday, October 22, in Kent, Connecticut, where she had been staying with family. She was 90.

Born January 17, 1920, in Cranford, New York, to Viola Clarrisa (née Walsh) and Samuel Albert Morrison, she was a graduate of Kent Place School in Summit, New Jersey, attended Wheaton College, and graduated from Vassar College in 1942 with a degree in economics. She worked for 40 years on Wall Street, where she was a research analyst with Brown Brothers Harriman.

When she was a child, her parents summered in Amagansett when they were not staying in Conifer, Maine. In search of a similar East End weekend retreat in 1967, Ms. Morrison decided buy a house on a hill in Montauk with a view of the Atlantic Ocean. For more than 40 years she and her friends spent weekends there. Because she loved to travel, she visited literally every continent, including Antarctica, instead of spending her vacations in Montauk. She still considered Montauk her special place.

After her retirement in 1982, she rented her New York apartment for a year to attempt spending the winter in Montauk. As a lover of opera, theater, music, and art, she thought she’d miss New York City, but after immersing herself in environmental issues and the preservation of open space on the East End, she could not sell her apartment in the city fast enough. Family remembers recalled that she always said it was the best thing she ever did.

A member and president of the Concerned Citizens of Montauk, she worked tirelessly to preserve Hither Woods and Shadmore State Park. She was a watchdog at East Hampton Town Board meetings, staying informed about every important and controversial issue. She informed her East End community of pending issues and encouraged reaction. Most recently she was a staunch supporter of the now threatened children’s program at Third House Nature Center.

According to survivors, Ms. Morrison’s devotion will be fondly missed by her extensive family and her fellow conservationists on Long Island’s East End.

She is survived by six nieces, many grandnieces and grandnephews and numerous cousins. She was predeceased by both an older brother, Barclay Morrison, and an older sister, Jean Morrison Becker.

A memorial service will be held in May at St. Therese of Lisieux Catholic Church in Montauk.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Third House Nature Center, Inc., PO Box 143, Montauk NY 11954 or East End Hospice, PO Box 1048, Westhampton Beach NY 11978 would be appreciated by the family.