Tributes have been paid to a community activist who has been described as “one of life’s good guys” following his sudden death aged 35.
Dave Morris, a former manager of Dundee Foodbank and a community activist, died suddenly on August 10 after suffering a heart attack.
He was known by many in the community for his work with the foodbank, as operations director at City Church Dundee, and as a financial advisor as part of Dundee Money Action, which is run by the council.
Julia Morris, Dave’s wife, paid an emotional tribute to her husband and described him as a man with a “big heart” who made it his life’s mission to help people.
She said: “He’d always been pretty serious about social justice, he was a Christian who just wanted to make a difference in the world.
“He had a really big heart, lots of organisational skills and wanted to use them in a field where it mattered.
“He’d always been very involved in the community, he helped the foodbank evolve and expand.
“Under him they opened a new premises and were able to help more people.
“It was his faith fundamentally which made him want to help people, he was always about equality and justice, fighting for the underdog.
“He believed that people deserved a chance, no matter who they were.”
The father of two helped thousands of people across the city with his charity work, as well as in his day job offering free financial advice.
Despite his high profile role in the city, Julia said Dave preferred to keep to himself most of the time.
She added: “He was always quiet and didn’t really like to talk – he was self confident but not arrogant.
“He loved people, and he wanted to make a positive change in the world – which he used his ability as a strategic thinker to do.
“He always had his reasons for doing things, and he would ask people their opinions before making choices.
“He cared a lot about his community, and making things better for people who needed it.”
As well as their own kids Ruben and Sam, the couple also fostered children in Dundee.
Julia told how Dave always put his family first and made sure he spent as much time with them as possible.
She said: “Lots of people knew him as a solid parent. He cared about his family and put them first, and he would never apologise for that.
“I think that the best way to remember him is as someone who really cared about people.”
John Alexander, leader of Dundee City Council, also paid tribute to Dave and praised his hard work in the community.
He said: “Dave was one of life’s all round good guys.
“He worked incredibly hard to support people across the city and always did so with a smile, even in the most challenging of situations.
“He made a huge contribution to the Dundee Foodbank, his church and more recently, in his work with the council on financial inclusion.
“He’ll be sorely missed and the city is a poorer place without him.”
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