H. Gary Morse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
H. Gary Morse
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| Born |
Harold Gary Schwartz
December 19, 1936 Chicago, Illinois
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| Died | October 29, 2014 (aged 77) |
| Occupation | Community developer |
| Employer | Holding Company of the Villages Ltd. |
| Spouse(s) | Sharon (d. 1999) Renee (his death, 2014) |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Megan Boone (granddaughter) |
Harold Gary Morse (born December 19, 1936 – died October 29, 2014) was an American businessman. He is best known for helping to create The Villages, Florida, a very large community where adults can live actively after retirement. He worked on this project with his father, Harold Schwartz.
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About Gary Morse's Life
Early Life and Family
Gary Morse was born in Chicago, Illinois. His parents were Mary Louise and Harold Schwartz. Later, his father moved to Arizona. After his parents divorced, his mother married Clifford Morse. Gary later chose to use his stepfather's last name, Morse. The family then moved to Central Lake, Michigan.
Gary Morse was married twice. His first wife, Sharon Morse, passed away in 1999. He then married Renee, and they lived in The Villages. Gary had three children: Mark Morse, Jennifer Parr, and Tracy Morse. All of his children work for the company that runs The Villages.
A Private Person
Gary Morse was known for being a very private person. He did not often meet with other residents of The Villages. He also rarely gave interviews to news reporters.
When he passed away, his family shared a statement about him. They said that he did not like being famous. He preferred to see people in The Villages enjoying their lives. They also mentioned that he was a friend to important leaders, but he always focused on making The Villages a great place to live.
Gary Morse was a close friend of Leon C. Hirsch, who was a CEO of a large company. He was also the grandfather of actress Megan Boone. Gary Morse died on October 29, 2014.
Building The Villages Community
From Advertising to Development
Before he started building communities, Gary Morse worked in advertising in Chicago. In 1983, he moved to Florida. He took over his father's business, which sold empty land for mobile homes.
Gary Morse had a different idea. Instead of just selling land, he decided to build entire homes. He also added restaurants, swimming pools, and golf courses. By 1986, his company was selling more than 500 homes each year.
Growing the Community
The company that runs The Villages, called Holding Company of the Villages Ltd., made a lot of money. In 2011, it earned at least $550 million. Gary Morse also owned many other businesses within the community. These included a bank, an insurance company, and a local newspaper. People often said that he owned "just about everything" in The Villages community.
Involvement in Politics
Supporting Political Campaigns
Gary Morse, his children, and The Villages company gave a lot of money to political campaigns. They donated tens of thousands of dollars to the campaigns of Florida Governor, Rick Scott. They also helped raise money for former presidents like George W. Bush and presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
Morse also gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Republican National Committee. This is a group that supports the Republican political party. He even used his large yacht, named the Cracker Bay, for political meetings.
Remembered by Leaders
After Gary Morse died, important political figures shared their thoughts. Both Governor Rick Scott and United States Senator Marco Rubio spoke about Gary Morse's vision. They praised how he imagined and then created The Villages community.
