Locke Jeffries Morrisey October 20, 1957 - December 14, 2010 Locke Morrisey, 53, died peacefully in his home in Foster City, CA of metastatic melanoma (skin cancer). He lived life fully, honestly, enthusiastically and thoughtfully, with an ever-present grin on his face. Born in San Rafael, CA, Locke was raised in Ross. He attended Redwood High School and continued his education at UCLA, earning a BA in Biology. Locke envisioned becoming a research biochemist, but a student job at the UCLA library sparked an interest in library science, which he pursued by returning to UCLA and earning a Master of Library Science degree. Locke's career began as a Librarian for Hughes Aircraft Company, followed by 7 years at UC Irvine as an Engineering Librarian. Locke was keen on returning to the Bay Area and being closer to family. In 1997, he accepted a position at the University of San Francisco where he became the Head of Collections, Reference, Research & Instructional Services at the Gleeson Library. As his career progressed, Locke held positions in professional library associations at the local and national levels, most recently serving as an Association of College and Research Libraries Councilor (2007-2010) and President of the Northern California and Nevada Medical Library Group (2008-2009). He was also active with the Librarians Association of the University of California, American Library Association, Medical Library Association, Special Libraries Association and California Academic & Research Libraries, who recognized him with the Outstanding Member Award in 2008. Not only did Locke publish many articles in library and nursing journals, he also mentored SJSU library school students and taught thousands of nursing students in his role as Library Liaison for School of Nursing. An inspirational role model, Locke was known for his generosity in mentoring junior librarians. He chaired the Cultural Diversity Committee for LAUC and was a forceful advocate for the underserved and underrepresented. A consummate professional, he was also wickedly funny and understood the importance of having fun. Generous and caring, he demonstrated that you can be a good friend as well as a good colleague. An example of his selfless nature and devotion to teaching: just one week before he died, Locke invited second year medical students into his home to discuss doctor-patient relationships, to provide insight so that they might learn to be more compassionate and better communicators. Locke's interest in academia carried over into an obsession with college sports, particularly the UCLA Bruins. A self-confessed foodie, Locke also loved all things Hawaiian and enjoyed many memorable visits to the islands with his partner Al. Locke was a devoted and deeply caring family member who delighted in making others happy and knew how to turn family activities into fun celebrations. He developed close relationships with relatives on both coasts, particularly his father's sister, his beloved Aunt Sheila Potter. The family wishes to thank all of the friends and colleagues who helped Locke grow professionally and infused his career with such joy, especially those who joined them in providing care and comfort during the 5 months of his illness. Private services were held at Mt. Tamalpais Cemetery in San Rafael. A Celebration of Life is scheduled for March. Please contact [email protected] for more information. Donations may be made to University of San Francisco Gleeson Library c/o University Advancement, 2130 Fulton Street, San Francisco, CA 94117-0148. Please write on the memo line "In Memory of Locke Morrisey". He is survived by his partner of 12 years, Al Yeh, his mother Barbara, sisters Barbara Morrisey Machalk (Craig) and Melanie Dines (Woody), brothers Bill, Charles and Michael (Bonnie), nephews Nathan Dines and Matthew Morrisey, niece Michaela Morrisey and two cats, Bingo and Blackjack. He was preceded in death by his father, William G. Morrisey III and sister, Marion Ruth Morrisey. Locke enriched the lives of many and was kind to all. If ever presented with the opportunity, please consider sharing your expertise as a mentor or teacher.
Published in Marin Independent Journal on January 23, 2011