A Son's Legacy in Honor of His Parents Michael's Journey—In His Own Words

Michael J. Morrissey, B.E.E. '64

"My grandfather died suddenly at the age of 40. At that time my father was only 14 years old. There was no Social Security back then, no government support—nothing. So as the oldest male, although only 14, he had to drop out of school and go to work to support his mother and his five younger siblings. So young—yet he did it so responsibly.

"My mother, Dorothy Lux, went to the University of Richmond for one year. She met my father, Keenan Morrissey, when he routinely came by her house to teach her brothers Latin so they could become altar boys. Mom's parents did not want her to marry until she finished her education, but Mom's love for Dad and her independent nature won out. Shortly after turning 18, she hopped on a train to Washington, D.C. where she and Dad got married, right down the street from Catholic University at St. Anthony's Catholic Church on September 7, 1935.

"Devout Catholics, my parents never stopped doing all they could for their five children. After we were all grown and gone from the house, you could still find them holding hands at the 6:30 morning Mass at the chapel nearby.

"It was Mom who sat down with me one day and told me that they would support me and be with me no matter what, but that they were not able to pay for my college. I could see the torment she felt inside in having to say those words. My immediate reaction was feeling so badly for her. I said, 'Mom, I don't want you to pay for my college. You have done so much for me already. I can take care of that.' "

And that he did!

In a one-day trip by himself from Richmond to Catholic University, Michael met with the head of the registrar's office, two deans, and a priest at Theological College. By day's end, he was granted a tuition scholarship and had secured a job that would pay for his room and board!

"I made it to Union Station just in time to board the last train back to Richmond. At home, I hugged my parents and said, 'Guess what? I can go to Catholic University in September. Everything is taken care of.' I did not go into the details with them; it wasn't necessary."

During his years at Catholic University, Michael was a member of Sigma Beta Kappa fraternity, a class officer, business manager of the Tower newspaper, was on the Student Council, and participated in two varsity sports while earning his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. In addition, he studied at the University of Paris at the Sorbonne and received a law degree from American University in 1974. Michael's engineering work was in the Washington metro area at Goddard Space Flight Center and for U.S. Defense Department agencies. He has been with law firms in the D.C. metro area, served as a patent examiner at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, and has been on the faculty at George Mason University in the field of patents and intellectual property.

"My goal was to establish a lasting memorial for my parents—one that will tell their story and keep it alive for many years to come. A gravestone in a cemetery, no matter how beautiful, does not tell their story. Through this scholarship, I hope other parents and children will enjoy reading Keenan and Dorothy's story (a condition to receiving the scholarship); and for the parents, I hope they, too, will enjoy the freedom this endowment brings for them, along with this reminder: Love is never having to apologize when you are not able to pay the cost of sending your child to college."

Mr. Morrissey may be reached at patentfirst@comcast.net

Like Michael, there may be someone in your life that you want to honor with a legacy gift to Catholic University. To learn more, contact Isabel de la Puente at delapuente@cua.edu or 202-319-6914