Clara Morton, USBC Hall of Fame member, dies at 92
May 03, 2016
ARLINGTON, Texas – Clara Morton of Knoxville, Tennessee, a member of the United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame, died Monday. She was 92.
Morton was appointed to the Women’s International Bowling Congress Board in 1976 by Alberta E. Crowe and was elected to her first term the following year. She eventually would serve on the board for 19 years.
As a WIBC Board member, she served as the chair for the WIBC National Bowling Hall of Fame and Museum (NBHF/M) committee and served as a committee member on the WIBC Hall of Fame Selection, Finance and Budget, Legal and Organizational and Advisory committees.
Morton joined the NBHF/M executive board in 1988 and was elected president for the 1992-1993 season.
She held many positions at the state and local level and was a life member of the Tennessee Women’s Bowling Association and the Knoxville WBA. She was inducted into the Tennessee WBA Hall of Fame in 1985 and the Smoky Mountain USBC “Clara Morton - Ed Erwin” Hall of Fame in 1992. In 1995, she became the first bowler to be inducted into the Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame.
She served as president of the Tennessee WBA, Knoxville WBA and Knoxville Junior Bowling Association. She was on the Greater Knoxville Bowling Council and was the organizer and president of the Tennessee 600 Club.
Morton was an accomplished bowler for more than three decades, competing in 35 USBC Women’s Championships. She earned local, regional and state titles, including the Tennessee WBA Doubles title in 1961 and the Knoxville Double Match Game Championship in 1963 and 1964. She also won the Knoxville WBA Doubles title in 1980.
She was elected to the USBC Hall of Fame for meritorious service in 2001.
Morton is survived by her niece, Linda Wilson, and great-niece, Courtney Wimmer, of Edmond, Oklahoma, and great-niece, Whitney Reasor, of Indianapolis; special friends, Joyce McMahon and Polly Maples of Knoxville, Colleen Parnicza of Mountsville, West Virginia, the Underwood family of Tuscumbia, Alabama, and many bowling, community and church friends. She was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, William Edward Morton, who died in 2007.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame, c/o USBC, 621 Six Flags Drive, Arlington, TX 76011, or to the Bowler to Veterans Link (BVL), 11350 Random Hills Road, Suite 800, Fairfax, VA 22030.
Morton was appointed to the Women’s International Bowling Congress Board in 1976 by Alberta E. Crowe and was elected to her first term the following year. She eventually would serve on the board for 19 years.
As a WIBC Board member, she served as the chair for the WIBC National Bowling Hall of Fame and Museum (NBHF/M) committee and served as a committee member on the WIBC Hall of Fame Selection, Finance and Budget, Legal and Organizational and Advisory committees.
Morton joined the NBHF/M executive board in 1988 and was elected president for the 1992-1993 season.
She held many positions at the state and local level and was a life member of the Tennessee Women’s Bowling Association and the Knoxville WBA. She was inducted into the Tennessee WBA Hall of Fame in 1985 and the Smoky Mountain USBC “Clara Morton - Ed Erwin” Hall of Fame in 1992. In 1995, she became the first bowler to be inducted into the Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame.
She served as president of the Tennessee WBA, Knoxville WBA and Knoxville Junior Bowling Association. She was on the Greater Knoxville Bowling Council and was the organizer and president of the Tennessee 600 Club.
Morton was an accomplished bowler for more than three decades, competing in 35 USBC Women’s Championships. She earned local, regional and state titles, including the Tennessee WBA Doubles title in 1961 and the Knoxville Double Match Game Championship in 1963 and 1964. She also won the Knoxville WBA Doubles title in 1980.
She was elected to the USBC Hall of Fame for meritorious service in 2001.
Morton is survived by her niece, Linda Wilson, and great-niece, Courtney Wimmer, of Edmond, Oklahoma, and great-niece, Whitney Reasor, of Indianapolis; special friends, Joyce McMahon and Polly Maples of Knoxville, Colleen Parnicza of Mountsville, West Virginia, the Underwood family of Tuscumbia, Alabama, and many bowling, community and church friends. She was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, William Edward Morton, who died in 2007.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame, c/o USBC, 621 Six Flags Drive, Arlington, TX 76011, or to the Bowler to Veterans Link (BVL), 11350 Random Hills Road, Suite 800, Fairfax, VA 22030.