A Durant man who was a former Durant city council member was killed last Saturday when his motorcycle was struck head on by a vehicle in rural Johnson County, Arkansas.
According to the Arkansas State Police, 72-year-old Curtis (Mike) Morris was riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle at 1:40 p.m. on Highway 123 when a BMW driven by 68-year-old Dio Caldwell of London, Ark., departed the roadway and Caldwell over corrected into the southbound lanes. The BMW then collided with Morris’ motorcycle.
Caldwell was taken to Johnson County Regional Medical Center. He was subsequently taken to the Johnson County Jail where he was booked in for negligent homicide, driving while intoxicated and failure to maintain control, according to online jail records.
Morris was a retired Southeastern professor who taught computer science.
Former Southeastern President Thomas Newsom said in a social media comment that he was blessed to have been able to spend time with Morris at SE.
“He was attempting to teach me how to appreciate and use the university’s supercomputer,” Newsom said. “It was one of his many passions. I am honored to call him friend and saddened that others will not be able to share this experience.”
Southeastern President David Whitlock said, “Having taught with Mike in the 1980s, we recently reconnected and visited at length about supercomputers, math, and motorcycles. I only managed to track during the conversation about motorcycles. We left with a pledge to get back together and see his Honda PC800. Mike Morris was a true conversationalist and entertaining fellow.”
Morris served on Durant city council from 2019 to 2023. He was an avid motorcyclist who had been riding since he was a teenager. He enjoyed traveling on his bike to visit places off the beaten path and he called his travels “noodling around.”
His son Kurt has Down syndrome and Morris loved him deeply. He took Kurt traveling in a car and he called those trips “Kurty’s Kronickles.”
Council member Humphrey Miller was one of his riding buddies, and Morris had commented on their rides that they never discussed city business when noodling around.
“We have put 1,000’s of miles on these bikes and just as many laughs,” Miller said, in a social media post. “All of the stories and knowledge you gave me. A man that stopped to smell the roses. Always showing me short cuts and landmarks that I’ve passed dozens of times before we started riding together that I never knew existed. I’ll think about you every time I start out on a ride or drive any of the roads we traveled. Until we meet again, I love you my friend.”
Brothers Mark and Matt Swearengin were friends with Morris and Mark rode Vespa scooters with him.
“Mike introduced me to a world I hadn’t realized existed,” Mark said. “I’ll never forget the exhilaration I felt when we went flying over the Highway 70 bypass on Cale Switch Road the first time we rode together. It was a sensation I’d never experienced, and so unlike the feeling I’d gotten in a really fast sports car during my youth.
“I was literally shaking with excitement. The joy he felt was palpable, and I bought into it hook, line, and sinker. It’s hard for me to imagine continuing to ride without him. The adventures he took me on changed my life and my sense of the world around me.”
Matt is not a rider, but he liked the noodling around posts by Morris.
“I loved following Mike’s travel posts because so many of them were similar to what I like to do with the only difference being that I am on four wheels,” Matt said, in a tribute Sunday night. “He sometimes tagged me in his posts such as when he found a cemetery and he messaged me with photo tips, some of which I followed up on.”
Matt noted that Morris had cautioned him and others against getting a motorcycle because of the risks, however, Morris loved to ride, and he was not going to quit.
“He died doing what he loved and as tragic is that is, there is something to be said about that,” Matt said. “It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but Mike should be remembered for his passion for riding and traveling, not for how he died.” Morris served on the People First Industries board of directors since 2012, and he was a strong advocate for people with disabilities. PFI provides employment for people with mental and/or physical disabilities.
PFI has named its annual track meet the Mike Morris Memorial Track Meet, and it will be from 9 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. June 1 at the Durant Multi-Sports Complex. A Mike Morris Spirit Award will be presented to a participant at that time.
In a social media post, PFI said that Mike brought passion, purpose and a deep commitment to making a difference.
“He was determined to raise awareness for individuals of all abilities and worked tirelessly to create a more inclusive and understanding community,” People First said. “Mike had a love for life that was evident in everything he did — including his passion for riding motorcycles.
“His impact on our organization and the lives he touched will not be forgotten. We are incredibly grateful for the years he served, the vision he shared, and the heart he gave.”
