William Robert Morlin
 October 24,1946  -
November 20,2021

MORLIN, William Robert 'Bill'

William Robert, 'Bill' Morlin was born at Sacred Heart Hospital on October 24,1946. Bill died November 20,2021 at Sacred Heart from complications of an infection. He was the only son of Robert and Louise Morlin. He was joined by sisters, Betty in 1950 and Ann in 1963. Bill grew up in the Peaceful Valley neighborhood, the 3rd generation of his family to live in the same house.

Bill attended Washington Grade School. He had several good 'buddies' and got into his share of mischief, both at school and in the neighborhood. He 'printed' with letter stamps/ink pad, a neighborhood newspaper and cajoled sister Betty and her friend Babbie to deliver. When he was old enough, he took on the responsibility of 3 paper routes which he maintained until he finished high school. Early clues, he was already thinking of a career in journalism.

After graduating from Lewis and Clark High School in 1965, he enrolled at EWSC to study journalism. He excelled and went on to be the editor of the college paper. While he was completing his degree, he began working for the Associated Press. After graduation, he was hired by the Spokane Daily Chronicle and never looked back (The Chronicle merged with the Spokesman-Review in 1988.). Bill married Joyce Bingham in 1969 and they had 2 sons, Scott and Jeffrey. They later divorced. He devoted much of the next decade to raising his 'boys.' Taught them not only to be honest, caring, loving and responsible people but to snow and water ski. Bill became a good cook and overall was an 'awesome' Dad. He balanced these duties with an increasingly active role as an Investigative Reporter with stories that were gaining nationwide attention as well as putting him personally at risk. Bill's work garnered many local/regional awards and prestigious national awards. His motto for life was 'Transcend the Bullshit' which originated with artist Harold Balazf. Bill had a framed copy in his home office and gifted others with it as well.

In 1993, Bill met Connie Bacon, a social worker in foster care and child protection. They shared much in common, including connections with many of the same people in the community. Those same people were thrilled when they got together. Bill and Connie believed they had met, 'the loves of their lives.' They married in 1998 in Sandpoint, Idaho. Bill continued to report for the Spokesman until he retired in 2009. He started his own business: Morlin Investigations, the day after he retired. He remained active in this endeavor until his death. He also taught a journalism class for several semesters at Gonzaga. Bill was offered a position writing for the HATEWATCH blog, with the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Alabama. He had been acquainted with the founder, Morris Dees for many years and readily accepted the post. Bill wrote for HATEWATCH until 2019. Bill was a man of many passions, family being first. Work and music, especially The Rolling Stones were toss-up for second. He enjoyed all kinds of music and prided himself on keeping up on all the latest. His favorite time would be barbecuing with the smoke rolling, music playing and having some beers with family/friends. Christmas Day celebration was a longtime tradition. He learned early on how to work with wood from his Dad and built a large woodworking shop. He made furniture, cabinets, a dollhouse and amazing repairs to most anything. A favorite pastime became hanging out with his dogs in the shop, The Boar's Nest (bar in Dukes of Hazard). Wood stove burning and the music blaring. He also had a love of trains and modeling. He was continuing to work on a large layout in the loft of his wood shop. Bill loved skiing, both on water and snow and excelled at it. He wasn't water skiing any longer but had concentrated on downhill skiing and teaching granddaughters. He still loved towing family members. Bill was a consummate animal lover and had many dogs and cats over his lifetime including, cats: Henry, Buffy, Ginger, Snuggles, Twister, and Booper, dogs: Pebbles, Daisy, T-zer, and May-z. He is survived by 4 fur babies, cats, Coo-Z and Izz-E and dogs, Mox-Z and Jo-Z. The animals along with family members were constant subjects for him to photograph, another passion at which he excelled. Bill loved his family without measure. His dear friends were many and valued. It is impossible to calculate the loss to us all.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Robert (Bob) and Louise Morlin and his sister, Betty. Bill is survived by his wife, Connie, son Scott Morlin (Jaime) and daughters Tori (Mathew) Lehinger-Johnston and grandchildren, Lake and Meadow, and Hali Morlin, son Jeffrey Morlin, daughter, Hannah and step-son, Ben Rose. His 'baby sister,' Ann Morlin, Spokane and her children, Maggie Muller (Zane), Hungary and Alex Henley, Spokane. Sisters-in-laws, Cynthia Clauson, Spokane, niece, Katrina Clauson, Wyoming, Cheryl (Steve) Blackman, Elk, and Marilyn (Chris) Smith, Elk, and their 3 daughters. He is also survived by his late sister, Betty Hersey's family in Kelowna, BC plus numerous cousins.

A celebration of Bill's life will be held Saturday, December 4th from 1-4 p.m. at CenterPlace Regional Event Center, 2426 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley, WA 99216. Note: COVID protocols will be strictly observed. If unvaccinated or not wanting to gather with large crowd, you can opt to join a Zoom link Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom. us/j/85154847456?. pwd=ZVZNOVHMIIrY0FKZOJ3dHdUSEY0Zz09 Meeting ID: 851 5484 7456 Passcode: 494739 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbWMjUMtfb to view the celebration. The best way to remember and honor Bill's life is to help your neighbor and be kind to animals. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to any charity caring for animals. -30-
Class of LC 1965 graduate, Bill Morlin,  has built a reputation as one of the nation's top reporters on right-wing extremist groups and related criminal justice issues. In his nearly 30 years at The Spokesman-Review and its former sister paper, The Spokane Chronicle, Morlin has written exclusive, award-winning stories on such major national news events as the siege on Ruby Ridge, the rise and fall of Richard Butler's Idaho-based Aryan Nations and the mid-1980s murder and robbery spree of The Order, a band of racist revolutionaries. In 2001, he helped identify the killer in a Montana double-murder case that had gone unsolved for 38 years. Morlin is a native of Spokane and a graduate of Eastern Washington University.

This is the story of one of the nation's most vicious and prolific serial killers, Robert Lee Yates, Jr.

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