Dr. A J Morris, Jr., 84, of Bella Vista, Arkansas, passed away suddenly in his home early Saturday evening, November 1, 2025, and left behind a legacy as expansive as the stories he loved to tell.

He was born in Mountain View, Arkansas, on March 31, 1941, delivered by a doctor who arrived in a horse and buggy (he was always thankful it wasn't "April Fools' Day"). "A J" came from a long line of "Andrew Jackson's" – a fitting name for a man who would live up to its legacy of strength, courage, and service. He was a man who lived many lifetimes in one—Naval officer, JAG attorney, businessman, professor, author, newspaper publisher, and beloved husband and father. To know A J was to know someone who never stopped learning, never stopped serving, and never stopped making people smile with his warm and endearing ways. He was a true Southern Gentleman.

Born as a natural investigator, with an adventurer's heart, and a scholar's mind, A J began his journey of service as a commissioned Naval officer with Top Secret Security Clearance, serving two tours of combat engagements in Vietnam aboard the USS McKean DD 784. As one of six JAGs, who investigated the Gulf of Tonkin incident, which started the Vietnam War, he witnessed history firsthand. He served with distinction as Squadron JAG, Nuclear Weapons Officer, DASH Helicopter Pilot, Gunnery Officer, and First Lieutenant. His military service continued through the Naval Reserves, where he rose to Commanding Officer, chasing Russian submarines in the Caribbean and later commanding combat engineers and the Fleet Training Group in Little Rock, Arkansas.

But A J's contributions extended far beyond the military. After the service, he became a crusader for public health and safety in the pharmaceutical industry, investigating the bootlegging of drugs that threatened American health standards. His work with American Cyanamid Company and later as Mid-States Marketing Director for the American Broadcasting Company's agricultural trade journal "Feedstuffs," which showcased his commitment to integrity and scientific truth.

A natural entrepreneur, A J owned and published three Arkansas newspapers—The Mountain View, The White River Current, and The Ozark Folkways—supporting the preservation of Ozark culture and Elizabethan English traditions. He never did anything halfway.

Education was both A J's passion and his gift to others. He earned his MBA from Dallas Baptist University and his Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of North Texas. He taught at multiple universities, touching countless lives as a professor of business and global economics, and was certified to teach Napoleon Hill's "17 Principles of the Science of Success."

It was because he did business in China that they allowed him to write his groundbreaking Ph.D. dissertation on their education system and how it flowed into industry. It was the first American University Ph.D. study ever allowed inside China, opening doors for international academic cooperation.

A J took on any project with a vision bigger than anyone else's in the room. He bought an Allstate Insurance Agency in Wichita, Kansas, and got the required licenses to conduct business in property and casualty, life, and securities. Glenda Sue was one of his top agents and together in three years, took the agency in 2006 to the top and awarded "Agency of the Year" and "Most Profitable" in all of Kansas.

He had the capacity to concentrate for long periods of time. In recent years, A J turned his insatiable curiosity to wine research, authoring books on wine's nutritional power and medicinal heritage. In 2012, wrote about vaccine history in his book "Vaccine Double Cross," and most recently, his book on his Naval experience with the Russian Sub K-129, always seeking to educate and inform.

A J attributed his vitality and longevity to two sources: his beloved wife, Glenda Sue Maxwell Morris, whom he married in 1999, and the innovative light therapy technology of LifeWave X39, which he enthusiastically shared with friends. Those who knew him marveled at his fitness and mental sharpness well into his eighties—a testament to his robust approach to life, but all-in-all, he was a hard-working farm boy with a Ph.D.

The Morris family's tradition of service runs deep. A J and his brothers, John and Doug, became the first family of three Eagle Scouts in Kansas, a tradition continued by his son, Jon. His father received an honorary Eagle Scout award, cementing the family's commitment to excellence and service. His father's brother was the famous country songwriter, "Jimmy Driftwood" with songs like the "Tennessee Stud" and "The Battle of New Orleans." Along with his Uncle, A J helped start the Ozark Folk Center, in Mountain View where he performed with his children.

A J was a storyteller extraordinaire, a faithful friend, and a man whose sterling character was as colorful as the many chapters of his life. He was known throughout Bella Vista for his warmth, his wisdom, and his willingness to go "the extra mile" for anyone in need. Whether discussing the Bible, military history, politics, conspiracy theories, international business, pharmaceutical science, or the nutritional properties of wine, A J could captivate an audience and make everyone feel like they were part of something important.

A J's faith guided him throughout his remarkable journey. He lived by the words of Jesus and his "three-minute rule." John 15:16:  "You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you...that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you." Whenever he was trying to find something, he would ask the Father to help him find it in the name of Jesus Christ and within three minutes the object was found. It was something that worked for him.

He is survived by his cherished wife, Glenda Sue Morris of Bella Vista; his children Jonathan, Melani, and Kristen; grandsons Shawn, Brent, Noah, Lukas, Fielding, granddaughter, Bella, his sister, Allie, and brother, Doug, and hundreds of friends who considered themselves blessed to know him. He was preceded in death by his father, A J Morris, Sr., his mother, Rubey, and brothers Jack and John.

A J lived by the principles he taught. He embraced righteousness, thought outside the box, and he loved and served others, and he loved this country and wanted justice for all. His was a life well-lived, full of adventure, purpose, and love. He leaves behind not just memories, but an example of how to live with integrity, curiosity, joy, and especially kindness.

The family takes comfort in knowing that A J's final years were spent in the beautiful Ozarks he so loved, surrounded by tons of friends, enjoying his plants, fishing, hunting, writing, and sharing his life with his beautiful California-born-and-raised wife, Glenda Sue.

As he would often say, "Love you all to pieces."

God bless you, your family, and friends; and may God bless America.

The funeral is on Thursday, November 13th, at the Bella Vista Funeral Home, 2258 Forest Hills Boulevard, with visitation starting at 10 a.m. and the service at 11 a.m. Burial is at the Fayetteville National Cemetery at 1:30 p.m.