Obituary of Philip Abbe Morehouse

Philip Abbe Morehouse, a life-long resident of Darien, passed away peacefully at the age of 93 on Wednesday October 26, 2011 at Waveny Care Center in New Canaan. He was the youngest of three children of the late Harold St. John Morehouse and Ruth Abbe Morehouse and was born on July 12, 1918 in Darien. His ancestor, Thomas Morehouse, in 1641 settled in Middlesex Parish, the original part of Stamford which later became the Town of Darien. Philip Abbe Morehouse attended the Darien Public Schools and graduated from Darien High School in 1936, just celebrating his 75th Reunion. Upon his graduation from the University of Connecticut, where he received a commission as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry, Philip entered the Army in July, 1940; and was assigned to the 18th Infantry Regiment of the First Infantry Division – known as the "Big Red One". Upon his return to the U.S.A., Philip in 1945 entered the Law School of the University of Connecticut and was admitted to the Connecticut Bar in 1948. He was associated in the practice of law with Walton Clark, Jr., then Darien's Probate Judge. In 1950, he joined the law firm of Cummings and Lockwood in its Darien Office until he resigned in 1980. He was elected Probate Judge for the District of Darien and served in that position until 1988. Until 1961, he continued his military service in the U.S. Army Reserves and was Judge Advocate of the 76th Infantry Division in Hartford until 1961 when he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. Philip Morehouse belonged to several organizations, including the First Congregational Church of Darien, Kiwanis Club of Darien, Darien Monuments and Ceremonies Commission, 150th Anniversary of the Town of Darien Committee, First Infantry Division Foundation, Spring Grove Cemetery Association, Senior Men's Association, Darien Housing Authority, Middlesex Genealogical Society, Darien Free Library Association, Post 6933 Veteran's of Foreign Wars of the U.S., Sons of the American Revolution, Connecticut Society of Mayflower Descendants, American Bar Association and the Connecticut Bar Association. He was predeceased by his second wife, Elizabeth H. Morehouse. His first wife of 53 years, Cynthia Storrs Morehouse died in 1993. His sister, Mary Morehouse Sessa died in 1988. His brother Captain Alan Randolph Morehouse, was killed in action on Omaha Beach, Normandy, France June 6, 1944. He is survived by his daughter, Louise M. Houk and her husband Stephen of Litchfield, CT, his son, William Storrs Morehouse and his wife Polly of Darien; six grandchildren, Stephen, Katherine and Timothy Houk and Philip A. Morehouse II, Wesley and Tucker Morehouse; as well as eight nieces and nephews. A Funeral Service will be held at the First Congregational Church of Darien, 14 Brookside Road, Darien on Saturday, November 5, 2011 at 3:00 PM. Burial will follow at Spring Grove Cemetery, Darien with full military honors. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Kiwanis Club of Darien (DHS Scholarship Fund), P. O. Box 43, Darien, CT 06820. The Edward Lawrence Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. To leave an on-line condolence, please visit www.lawrencefuneralhome.com Funeral Home: Edward Lawrence Funeral Home 2119 Post Road Darien, CT USA 06820