James Raymond Morley, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, who devoted his life to educating and improving the floral industry, died November 3 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He was 86.
Morley’s interest in floral design blossomed from a young age, when he would “borrow” flowers from the bouquets at his church to create arrangements. He studied floriculture at Michigan State University before operating a retail florist shop, Bozzay-Morley Florist (now Bozzay Florist), in St. Louis, Missouri. Morley designed and sold flowers at the shop for 23 years. He had the honor of designing for three sitting U.S. Presidents — Eisenhower, Johnson and Nixon — with his floral creations gracing the White House presidential sitting room, as well as the presidential train.
“Jim was a great man who contributed much to the floral industry,” said longtime friend Ralph Null, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, professor emeritus at Mississippi State University and a trustee emeritus of the AIFD Foundation. “His dedication and desire to serve was evident from the first day I met him.”
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