Colleagues Remember Howie Morris, ‘Great Ambassador’ of Albany Medical Center

Albany Medical Center mourns the passing of Howell “Howie” Morris, longtime director of Imaging and Related Services, whose kindness and gifts for helping people have left an indelible mark at the Medical Center.

Morris passed away on December 21 at the age of 70.

A native of Rutland, Vermont, he came to the Capital Region to pursue a career in radiology and worked for various medical facilities before coming to Albany Medical Center, where he served for nearly 30 years.

“Howie was an incredibly unique manager in that he was as equally focused on the numbers and the planning as he was on our people,” said Gary Siskin, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Radiology. “He just knew what was going on in people’s lives because he took the time to ask the important questions. This also extended to the patients we cared for in the department. He was a great colleague and a great ambassador for Albany Medical Center.”

A “people person” with a gift for relating to others, Morris’s quick wit and empathy made an impression on colleagues across the institution.

“When things got busy, I would sometimes rush into whatever Albany Medical Center business I needed to discuss with Howie,” said Kristen Film, director of financial reporting. “He would always pause and initiate a friendly exchange before moving on to work matters. He understood balance.”

Morris was a devoted family man. He met his wife, Marie Louise, a nurse, at Albany Medical Center. Many colleagues remember his fond recounts of her and their three sons, Benjamin, Andrew and Howell.

“They were his first love,” said Meghan Weygant, vice president of Hospital Ancillary Services. “We were lucky to be part of his ‘second family’ here at Albany Medical Center. The worst of days could be turned into a better one, just by talking with Howie. It’s hard to put into words how much he’ll be missed.”