Morley Singer Dies at 84

Morley Singer and his dog Shaina on the ramp of his Issaquah home  |  photo from Issaquah Dock directory  |  post by Larry Clinton

Dr. Morley Singer, who bought the floating home at the end of Issaquah Dock in July, 2018, passed away in February.

Morley is survived by his sister, Gail Singer of Toronto, who now occupies the iconic flat-roofed home part-time. She recently wrote to her new neighbors, “the sad news is that my brother, Morley Singer, has passed. The only good part of that, for me, is that he has given me his houseboat on Issaquah Dock, and I will spend as much time as I possibly can here. I believe I am in one of the most beautiful places in the world. I have already met a few of the people with whom I share this dock, and find you all kind and friendly.”

Pre-deceased by his wife Betty (died May 9, 2019), Morley was born in Winnipeg, Canada and graduated from medical school at University of Manitoba where he was a recipient of an Isbister Scholarship.

From his SF Chronicle obituary:

“One of his many accomplishments Morley was most proud of [was] designing one of the first intensive care units in the country at The University of California San Francisco Medical Center and serving as its first medical director. Many of his former UCSF students and colleagues were able to visit and reminisce with him prior to his death.

Additionally, he inspired and implemented the Anesthesia Department at Hadassah Medical Center in Israel. Both endeavors occurred in the 1970s. He went on to a successful, decades-long practice in anesthesiology in San Francisco.

Morley was an accomplished sailor and skier. He helped establish, build and manage a permanent tennis court site in Bear Valley, which held a particularly important place in Morley’s heart.

Morley enjoyed skiing, cycling, swimming, and entertaining friends at Betty’s exquisite dinner parties.”

His time on Issaquah Dock fulfilled a dream for Morley—according to his obituary, “his houseboat in Sausalito gave him enormous joy and an opportunity to share it with family and friends from nearby and far away.”