Bench donated in memory of Steven Morse at Lions Park in Medina

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Jim Hancock, left, and Dave Bellucci unveil the bench dedicated Saturday morning in Lions Park to the late Steven Morse. Morse was a longtime Lions member and was known for portraying Santa Claus.

MEDINA – Steven Morse was a dedicated member of the Medina community and a devoted family man, but his claim to fame locally was his talent in spreading love and cheer as Santa Claus.

On Saturday morning, family, friends and fellow members of Medina Lions gathered in Lions Park to dedicate a bench in honor of their late husband, father and friend.

Steve’s wife Pat said it was the early 1990s when Steve and Howard Caldwell of Medina got the idea to create a Lions Park on the north side of the canal.

The Morses had moved to Medina from Buffalo around 1977, where even then Steve’s likeness to Santa Claus resulted in his being asked to play Santa at various schools. Two years after their move to Medina, the Decorate Medina Committee asked him to play Santa for them.

“We had to spray his beard white then,” Pat said.

Michael Morse, right, son of the late Steven Morse, shares memories of his dad during a ceremony Saturday morning in Lions’ Park dedicating a bench in Steven’s name. Looking on are, from left, Lions Tom Beach, Dave Bellucci and Jim Hancock and Levi Olsen, worship leader at Pat Morse’s church, the East Shelby Community Bible Church.

Always an active supporter of his community, Steve had joined Medina Lions, and shortly after Howard Caldwell came up to him and suggested the concept of a Lions Park, to remind people about the Lions Club and the work they do, Pat said.

Last year after Steve’s family began discussing a memorial in his honor, and decided on a bench in Lions’ Park. They learned it had to be in cement, and a Lions’ member anonymously donated the money for that.

Steve and Pat’s children, Michael Morse of Ashland, N.H., and Wendy Ehrenfeld of Buffalo both attended the dedication ceremony Saturday morning.

Michael talked about his dad and told one story he never forgets.

“We were in Hawaii and had just come out of the Pearl Harbor Memorial,” Michael said. “We had to lock our belongings up before we could go in, so I went to get them, and when I got back, there was dad sitting on a bench, getting his picture taken with a whole line of Japanese tourists, who thought he was Santa Claus.”

Wendy said, “Dad was always my Santa Claus.”

Pat Morse, center, sits with her son Michael Morse of New Hampshire and daughter Wendy Ehrenfeld of Buffalo on a bench they donated Saturday morning in Lions Park in memory of the late Steven Morse.

Playing Santa became Steve’s second job, Pat said.

Levi Olsen, worship leader at East Shelby Community Bible Church, where Pat attends, paid tribute to Steve.

“When they first came here to church, one of the children came running in and said, ‘I think Santa Claus is here,’” Olsen said. “He was truly Santa. He lived in a simple, loving manner. We are thankful to Steve and his gifts for our lives.”

“Jim Hancock went through a lot of red tape to get all the permits, for this bench,” Pat said.

Hancock explained the process to get the bench approved in Lions’ Park.

The idea was first brought to the Lions’ board, who approved it. Then they had to get approval from the New York State Canal Corporation, the Power Authority and Historic Preservation, Hancock said. “This became Howard’s and Steve’s prize possession.”

Hancock praised Steve for his involvement in Lions and his community. Steve was awarded a Melvin Jones Fellowship in 1995, the highest award given to a Lion member, and the Robert J. Uplinger Distinguished Service Award in 2005.

Most people remember Steve because he portrayed Santa.

“Whenever we needed a Santa, Steve was there,” Hancock said.

Michael said whether one knew his dad as Santa, from getting an X-ray by him, by his music and singing or though his amazing love, care and support of community, he couldn’t think of a better place for this memorial bench than a park in the village Steve loved.

Pat said it the family’s wish that others consider a bench in Lions Park as a memorial for their loved ones.

Family and fellow Lions members gathered around the bench dedicated to Steven Morse on Saturday morning in Lions Park. Seated on the bench are Steven’s daughter Wendy Ehrenfeld, his widow Pat and son Michael. Standing, from left, are Lions Dean and Carol Bellack, Don Colquhoun, Ken Dunham, Tom Beach, Tom Robinson, Dave Bellucci and Jim Hancock.