Great guy, Great businessman and most importantly a Great family man.
Family mourns loss of man who drowned in triathlon
July 27th, 2008 @ 5:30pm
By Whit Johnson
Family and friends tonight are mourning the loss of well-known businessman and community volunteer Don Morehouse, who drowned Saturday while competing in a triathlon.
Morehouse was President and CEO of Slaymaker Group, which owns all the TGI Friday's and Winger's Restaurants in Utah and Idaho. Those who knew Morehouse say he was dedicated to his work, but more importantly, he was a dedicated family man and friend.
Morehouse leaves behind a wife, four children, seven grandchildren and countless friends. Family members say he was a busy man but always managed to go above and beyond for those he loved.
His wife, Fairy Morehouse, said, "If Don was in the room and you didn't get a smile and a hug, there would be something wrong."
By age 60, Morehouse accomplished success by all definitions of the word. Living in Provo, Don was a CEO and an athlete, he traveled, and he helped build a large, loving family. "I mean, there was nothing negative about him," Fairy said.
Today, his wife, along with friends and family, shared stories about Don's life. He was the perfect husband, the perfect grandfather and the perfect father and a perfect friend," Fairy said.
Morehouse died Saturday while competing in the Spudman Triathlon in Burley, Idaho. During the swimming portion of the race, witnesses say they heard Don call for help just before he disappeared under the water. Rescue crews were unable to revive him. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.
"He'd buy his books, and he'd read his books, and he'd do the training plan. And he was ready to finish and complete another project, another dream," his wife said.
Don's family says he was healthy, in remarkable shape and recently competed in a number of marathons. Why Don went underwater is still unknown, but he was able to touch the hearts of many before he passed.
"My grandson said, ‘He was going to come watch my game Tuesday.' I said I'll be at your game on Tuesday. We're just going to fill his shoes."
Nearly 2,000 people participated in the Spudman. Besides the swimming event, the competitors bike 40 kilometers and run 10 kilometers. A spokesman said this is the first fatality that has occurred in the Spudman's 22-year history. "We've had some people that have needed to be pulled out of the water or hang on to the side of a boat," he said, "but we've never had anything like this before," he said.
E-mail: wjohnson@ksl.com
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4 comments:
I worked with Don at TGI Fridays. He was on the Franchisee Advisory Committee so I saw him every quarter for 7 years. He was alway fair & balanced in his approach -- even to very emotionally charged issues.
He was wise.
He was fun -- quick with a laugh & a comment.
I have used him as an example of a great Franchise partner many times. I have tremendous respect for him as a business man, a leader and a family man.
He will be missed.
Tom Koenigsberg
TKoenigsberg@cicispizza.com
Don left his mark on so many. He was a very special guy.
To his family, you may never know all the people he touched with his kindness, his wisdom and his humor. People like me. I would see Don when he came to town for TGI Friday's FAC meetings. I would often be seated next to Don, which I enjoyed greatly because he could share comments and observations with me that were always on point and always insightful. He was a talented businessman but even more he was a true gentleman. But perhaps most of all, I truly enjoyed his keen sense of humor.
Gerry Chiaro
gchiaro@yahoo.com
This is a real shock. "Donnie" moved to Mahopac, NY, when we were kids and we quickly became good friends. His parents and sister Linda always made me feel welcome.
We played baseball and basketball together. His parents wouldn't let him play football back then. He moved to our big rival high school, Somers. Now that he was allowed to play football, he became their quarterback and beat us our senior year,leading his team to an undefeated season. Still friends, though!
Don was a great guy and a real leader. My condolences to his family and friends. I know he's missed.
Bob Engelman
Pembroke Pines, FL
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