Morser home destroyed by fire

As anyone who has lived through a heartbreak can tell you, life can change in a second.

But as many people who have lived through a tragedy in the community of Phillips County can tell you, as fast as disaster can hit, your neighbors will be there to pick you up just as fast.

“Oh my goodness, they have been given all kinds of clothes, food, money, dishes, we have some furniture coming in,” said Angela Dean-Goertz a day after fire destroyed his sister-in-law’s home. “It has just been amazing.”

On the afternoon of Monday, November 6, a call went out to the Phillips County Volunteer Department that a fire was burning the house of Mike and Marla Morser, east of Malta. Shortly after that, the house was gone.

“The whole house is gone and it is a total loss,” Dean-Goertz said. “They are speculating that it was started by an electric issue, but they don’t have the final word on that yet though.”

Mike and Marla are 13-year residents Phillips County residents — Mike is US Border Patrol Officer l and martial arts instructor — moved to their new home with their daughters (Ashlyn and Megan) about six months ago.

As of Thursday night, a call went out on Facebook letting people know that the Morser family all had enough clothing and household items to get through their tough time. Though the new family home burned down, the Morsers were fortunate in that their ‘old’ home was being remolded for them to try and sell (and while that home was being made up to live in again, the family stayed at the home of Gale and Rusty, Marla’s parents.)

“They are kind of numb right now,” Dean-Goertz said. "They are trying to get Mike’s pick-up towed to Havre because his keys burned in the fire so it needs to be hauled over there to be reprogramed."

Though their immediate needs were met, the Morsers are still going to have to start from scratch in many domestic areas. Dean-Goertz said that people interested in helping the family out with items can call Gale Goertz at 654-2970 to see what donations could still be used by the family and a donation account has been set up at First Security Bank in the family’s name. There is also a LuLaRoe clothing Fundraiser (conducted by Meghan Newman and Channing Larson) for the Morser family on Facebook which can be found by searching the group's names — “Morser Family LuLaRoe Fundraiser!” — on the social network.

Dean-Goertz said Mike, Marla and the girls would like to thank everyone in the community for stepping up and helping them out in their time of need.

"It has been amazing and I can't even put into words the generosity of the people of the community and how everyone wants to help in any way they can. It is just amazing," she said.