Maurice "Morris" Nyquist

Maurice “Morris” Wayne Nyquist, 82, of Missoula, MT, passed away on Thursday, May 20, 2021 at home with his wife and both daughters by his side.

He was a model to all for never complaining after 30 years of suffering multiple cancers and their effects. He was born Oct. 16, 1938 to Irving and Edna Nyquist in Great Falls, MT.

As a boy, Morris was a good boy but always looking for a little fun in a time when boys could be boys. This “fun” continued into attending Great Falls High School. In the meantime, the pranks perpetuated into college where the only print worthy story is of the football goal post ending up back at the dorms. After matriculating, he quickly rose to working as the Vice President of the Nyquist Finance Company main branch in Great Falls from 1960 to 1978. During that time, he married Janice Brill on Sept. 10, 1960 and had 2 daughters. He also served for 6 years in the Air National Guard.

During that same time the glint of mischievousness in his eye remained but a new phase of industrious optimism exuded as he held different positions and multiple memberships in multiple civic organizations. He was the president of the Montana Consumer Finance Association, the Great Falls Credit Bureau, the Great Falls Police Department Investment Club and the High Noon Optimist Club. He taught Credit Principles and Business Practices to college, high school and civic groups. He was a lobbyist for the Montana Consumer Finance Association and founded along with his dad and two brothers (Don and Paul), the Consumer Credit Counseling Service. Other organizations include the National Consumer Finance Association, Great Falls Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Business Council and the Ad club. He held positions and volunteered at the American Heart Association, United Fund, Elks Lodge, Campfire Girls, St. Thomas Youth Camp, and the Red Cross as well as donating 26 pints of blood in just those years alone.

His political activities during that 18-year time span include being the president of the Cascade County Young Republicans and the Three County Chairman for the Business and Industry Committee to re-elect the President. He worked on many campaigns for candidates running for political office at 6 different levels of government. Morris was also on the committee that brought Ronald Reagan to Great Falls and was the Campaign Manager for his father Irv Nyquist who was elected to the State Legislature. Lastly, he was a poll watcher.

After that era, his life leaned towards homes and landscaping. He had a deep connection to Seeley Lake (for the last 53 years) due to owning a cabin in the area. But for now, he would work as a realtor at the Flaherty Agency in Great Falls. He then left the cold of MT to own his own business in FL as a waterfalls and landscape designer and builder. This led to waterfalls being built in FL, TX, CA, MT. Morris also built a climbing wall in Las Vegas, a housing development in Texas and an amusement park ride with waterfalls and volcanoes in Korea. His favorite though would be the three that he built in Seeley Lake, MT, as they would be the ones that he could look out of his cabin window to view. He was never known to complain about the endless hand-pushed mowing and watering that he did or the weeding, splitting of firewood and rock hauling. He always wanted it to look pleasing to any company that visited as he was always so grateful and eager for as many visitors as could come.

During the aforementioned time, he married Jeanette “Marie” Tremble Paulus on May 7, 2006 in Sun City, CA after lovingly knowing each other for 8 years. His hobby of gardening along with hers led them to adventures in traveling to visit new cities and gardens or attend home tours every weekend. In between they cared for the rose garden at the CA home and created and tended the church garden. They joined the Orchid Club, the Rose Club and the Koi Club. After moving to Missoula, MT they followed suit and joined the Iris Club and added plants/weeded their new church gardens as well as their neighborhood common area. They were always feeding the wildlife around them. In his downtime you would probably catch him fulfilling his former political prowess by watching the news on T.V., reading the paper and political magazines. His interest in travel, gardening and general knowledge were all on display by the multitude and variety of magazines he would read in the evening.

When in Mexico in his prior years, his care for others was even exemplified when traveling, by the fact that he set up free eye glasses for the indigent by contacting the Lions Club headquarters in the U. S. to get free glasses for the cities of Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta. No one can argue against the fact that Morris was a very kind soul with a passion for people and adventure… with a little glimmer of mischievousness. A beloved son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend, with his memory pressed close to our hearts.

Morris is preceded in death by his parents, Irving and Edna (Weber) Nyquist and his brother Don Nyquist

Morris is survived by his wife Jeanette “Marie” (Tremble Paulus) Nyquist and her children, Kathleen (Kevin) Quick, Polson, Deanna (Jerry) Larson, Idaho Falls, ID, grandchildren Brittany (Mike) Newman, Florence, Costner Quick, North Augusta, SC, Colter Quick, Pullman, WA, Cameron Quick, Polson, Ceanna Larson, Pennelton, OR, Michael Larson, Pocatello, ID; great grandchild Sullivan; Also by his first wife Janice (Brill) Steensrud and her children Lonnie Strickland, Sun City, CA, Tami (Warren) Whalen, Spearfish, SD, grandchildren Kara Whalen, Spearfish, SD, Cory Whalen, Bettendorf, IA, Kelsey Whalen, Spearfish. Brother, Paul Nyquist.

Private graveside services will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, to honor him would be to plant some flowers, feed the wildlife or be kind to someone…