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Coffee County Commissioner and Vietnam veteran Claude Morse, District 2, passed away Sunday night.

“Claude meant the world to me personally and professionally,” said County Mayor Judd Matheny.

“He always helped with my legislative events, tours of the base, The Arnold Community Council and countless other events. He will be greatly missed as a veteran with a wealth of knowledge and the greatest liaison between this county and many years with AEDC even after his retirement. It will be very, very sad to him not in his chair at our meetings or to be able to contact him for advice.”

Morse, the chairman of the Legislative Committee and a member of the Law Enforcement Committee, has served as a county commissioner since 2021 when the commission appointed him to fill the seat left vacant by former Commissioner Todd Crockett.

Morse held his seat in the 2022 election, with Commissioner Joey Hobbs to beat challenger Mike Stein.

Morse was a retired Air Force officer and Vietnam veteran. He served at AEDC in the early 1970s, then returned to AEDC as civilian contractor manager of Public Affairs and Marketing after retiring from the Air Force in 1988. In 2000, he was recognized as the top world-wide project manager by then AEDC contractor Computer Sciences Corp.

Morse was part of the team that developed AEDC’s strategic plan in the early 1990s and was recognized with AEDC’s top award as an AEDC Fellow for his work publicizing, marketing and advocating for AEDC’s mission.

Morse’s funeral arrangements were not available by press time.