Richard Joseph Morfitt

Richard Joseph Morfitt

October 11, 1938 ~ October 22, 2023

Someone once said, it isn’t the farm that makes a farmer, it’s the love, hard work, and character.
 
Richard Joseph Morfitt embodied all three until his passing on October 22, 2023. He was at home with his wife by his side.
 
Born October 11, 1938, in Fort Collins, Colorado he would travel around the Midwest with his parents, his father a traveling clothes salesman.  After his father’s passing, he and his mother Margaret would make Delta, Colorado their home. He graduated from Delta High School in 1955. It was there that he first met Bette, the love of his life.
 
The two were married in 1960 and would share the next 63 years together.
 
Unable to afford to go to college, Richard went to work for the Bureau of Reclamation and spent the next fifteen years as a surveyor.  During that time, he helped build Blue Mesa dam. Using scrap wood from the empty reservoir in his off time he built a small cabin overlooking the lake. He and Bette lived there through the construction and would return for summers to come with their kids, grandkids, and great grandkids.
 
Richard took that skill and left the Bureau of Reclamation to build homes in Grand Junction, Colorado until his Uncle Andy suggested he try raising onions.
 
It would take long hours, and a lot of optimism during some trying years but with the support of his  family, five acres grew into a successful business known today as Morfitt Farms.
 
Over the next 50 years Richard expanded the farm to include beans & corn as well.
 
It was rare if a day passed where you didn’t see Richard in his white truck driving out to the farm and then returning to town to discuss the day with his boys, grandsons, or other area farmers.
 
Today, you can find produce from Morfitt farms in stores across the country.
 
Even in the days before his passing Richard was still making sales.
 
Richard is survived by his wife Bette Morfitt, his children Donnie (DeAnne) Morfitt, Les Morfitt (Desiree) his grandchildren; Lacey Benzing, Kevin Morfitt, Tyler Morfitt, Karen Poland, Kayla Meza, Kyle Morfitt & Kami Fehlman, his great grandchildren; Brody, Faith, Ben, Molly, Logan, Jamie, Luke, Hope, Grayson, John, Vincent, William, Blake, Bo, Max & Waylon.
 
Richard is preceded in death by Mandy Morfitt-Watson.

Rosary will be held at 7:30pm, Thursday, October 26^th at St. Michaels Catholic Church. The funeral service is scheduled for 10:00 am Friday, October 27^th, at St. Michaels Catholic Church at 628 Meeker St. Delta Colorado.

A reception for family and  friends will follow.
 
The family asks in lieu of flowers consider making a donation to St Michaels Catholic Church.