Maurice “Morrie” Walter Alms, 87, of Red Wing, died Tuesday, September 26, 2023, at Deer Crest, surrounded by his family. He was born October 5, 1935, in Red Wing, to Mildred Alms. He grew up in Featherstone Township, attended a one-room country school through eighth grade, then Goodhue High School for two years. At age 15, he and his mother moved to Red Wing where he attended Red Wing Central High School, graduating with the Class of 1953. On August 29, 1958, Morrie married Janice (Smith) Alms. They had one son and later divorced. In 1978, he met Donna Mae Johnson and they were married on April 28, 1979, at First Covenant Church in Red Wing. They recently celebrated 44 wonderful years of marriage. During high school, Morrie worked at Nybo’s Bowling Alley as a pin setter. The Monday following graduation, he was hired by George Bergwall at Red Wing Shoe Company, where he was employed for the next 48 years in the Lasting Department. When he left “the Shoe”, he had mastered every part of shoemaking and treasured the friendships with his many co-workers. After retirement, he worked part-time for several years for Gary Iocco as a delivery driver to area dental offices. He also helped his Wacouta neighbors by mowing their lawns and snow blowing their driveways. Morrie volunteered as a parking valet at Mayo Clinic Red Wing and enjoyed meeting new people there. He served in the National Guard from 1953-1955, was a member of the Leo C. Peterson American Legion Post 54 and a part of the All Veteran’s Color Guard for many years. He was a member of First Covenant Church of Red Wing. Morrie enjoyed spending weekends at their cabin on French Lake in Faribault, before purchasing a home in Wacouta overlooking Lake Pepin. In 2014, they sold their home and moved to a townhouse in Red Wing and then to Deer Crest in 2022. Morrie’s family was very important to him, and he enjoyed time spent with his and Donna’s combined families. He had a great sense of humor and was the type of guy to help anyone who needed it. He especially loved their home on the lake and watching the big riverboats go by. He loved feeding the birds and watching the eagles. He was a jack of all trades, always tinkering with projects or repairing things, caring for his yard and flowers, playing cards and doing puzzles. He was a big fan of the Minnesota Vikings.
Survivors include his wife, Donna Alms; 1 son, Walt (Sharon) Alms of Austin, MN; 4 step-children, Kathy Johnson, Dan (Jill) Johnson and Diane (Clarence) Demers all of Red Wing and Keith (Renee) Johnson of Hager City; 10 grandchildren, Brittany (Michael) Symonds of Prior Lake, Nick (Kelly) Alms of Plymouth, Sara (Alex) Hall of Canon City, CO, Chris “Vern” (Bri) Johnson of St. Paul, Nate Johnson of Red Wing, Jeni (Kevin) Grimm of Eagan, Lucas (Samantha) Johnson of River Falls, Shane (Crystal) Eckhoff of Goodhue, Cole (Mandy) Eckhoff and Tanner (Camile) Eckhoff of Red Wing; 15 great-grandchildren, Addison and Mitchell Symonds, Oliver and Emma Alms, Kinsley Hall, Avi and Kroix Johnson, Lily, Jack and Brooks Grimm, Lucy Johnson (and baby boy Johnson due in December), Braeden and Carsen Eckhoff, Piper Eckhoff, Wesley Eckhoff; 1 brother, Richard (Elaine) Scharpen of Red Wing and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Mildred; his maternal grandparents, Christian and Maria Alms; brother, Robert Scharpen; sister, Donna Scharpen Jonas; son-in-law, Michael Johnson and granddaughter, Alyssa Johnson.
Funeral service will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023 at First Covenant Church with a visitation one hour prior. Burial with military honors will be at Burnside Cemetery. Memorials are preferred to Brighton Hospice, American Cancer Society or donor’s choice. Arrangements handled by Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com
