Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Before the 2025 Battle of the Barns Saturday afternoon, family members of the late Richard “Dick” Morris gathered in the show ring of the John Anglin Jr. Memorial Show Arena to present the Impact of 4-H Award in Dick’s name.
The new scholarship created by Dick’s family is one that all Kosciusko County 4-Hers can work toward, according to information provided.
Dick was born in 1937 and was raised on a dairy farm in Claypool. In addition to the dairy cattle, swine, chickens and horses also were raised on the farm. Growing up, Dick had daily chore responsibilities, which involved caring for the animals. He developed a way and love for animals at a very young age. He showed cattle as a child in 4-H at the Kosciusko fairgrounds during the 1940s and 1950s.
He married Sharodene shortly after graduating high school. They purchased a farm in Claypool and had three children - Rhonda, Rick and Renea - who participated in 4-H at all levels in the county. Over the years, they raised Black Angus cattle, Sulky race horses and other animals. Rhonda and Rick showed the horses and cows.
When Renea started in 4-H, she wanted to try showing sheep. In 1974, Dick and Sharodene got into the sheep business. Thirteen head of Suffolk sheep were purchased to start the flock. For the next 10 years, the Morris family occupied the northwest corner of the Kosciusko Sheep Barn during fair week when Renea exhibited.
Fair week was Dick’s favorite week of the year, according to the information provided. Immediately following the county fair each year, the family exhibited at the Indiana State Fair. One of Dick and Sharodene’s proudest moments in life was when they won the Champion Suffolk Ewe at the North American International Livestock Exposition Show in 1988.
From the time Dick was a child in 4-H and throughout his life, he and Sharodene made many lifelong friends in the 4-H community. Dick valued his roots in 4-H. He was gifted in training and raising high-quality animals. He shared his knowledge about raising animals with many youth and he volunteered on the sheep committee and was the barn superintendent.
Throughout Dick’s life, the Kosciusko Fairgrounds was his “happy place,” the information states. It was where he wanted to be. After his and Sharodene’s children completed 4-H, they were both avid educators, encouragers and spectators of their grandchildren’s and great-grandchildren’s involvement in 4-H.
Dick died in November 2024 at 87 years old.
4-H had an impact on Dick’s life. It brought him many of his most treasured experiences and memories, the information provided states. He used the life skills he learned in 4-H throughout his career. “He certainly lived out two of the 4-H mottos, which are ‘Learn by doing’ and ‘Make the best better.’”
An award has been created and is eligible to both general project and livestock 4-Hers based on the Impact 4-H has had on their lives and their overall involvement. It will be selected annually by the family based on criteria they defined as important to Dick. In this inaugural year, the family decided to award two recipients.
The winners of the 2025 Richard Morris Impact of 4-H Memorial Award is Eva Everest and Kaleb Kline, both 10-year members.
