Jim Morris was a uniter. We need more like him.

On July 19, I arrived at Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis to attend the Celebration of Life for Jim Morris. The crowd gathered outside was so huge that I briefly wondered whether the church was hosting Jim’s memorial service or a Taylor Swift concert. I have heard Morris sing, so I knew it was not a gathering for Taylor Swift.

While music was not among his many gifts, Morris was a Swift-sized megastar when it came to serving his community, and his community was not just Indianapolis or Indiana, but the world. His resume and accomplishments are second to none: executive director of the United Nations World Food Program; chief of staff to former Indianapolis Mayor Richard Lugar; president of the Lilly Endowment; chairman of the Indiana University Board of Trustees and of Pacers Sports & Entertainment.

Moreover, Morris was active in leadership and fundraising activities for the Boy Scouts, U.S. Olympic Committee, Riley Hospital for Children and many similarly worthy organizations.

Morris dedicated his life to serving others, but the fuel to his extraordinary engine was his ability to bring people and organizations together. There simply was no person any better or more dedicated than Morris at finding common ground and agreeable goals.

I experienced his gift for forging consensus first-hand in the state Senate. Morris was a mentor to me and periodically a connector who could bring people and organizations together to solve critical problems facing Hoosiers.

Morris’ passing is a huge loss for our nation, state and city. He touched countless lives in his 81 years, always for the better.

But speaker after speaker at Morris’ funeral implored the overflow crowd to carry on his greatest legacy, the bedrock which supplied the foundation for his life of service: an unswerving commitment to work to unite and not divide. In our increasingly polarized world, seemingly no political party, business or organization is immune from the temptation to flood the public square with curses and darkness.

Morris lit not a single candle but thousands. His example can light the way to a society more respectful of others and rededicated to the shared goal of forming a more perfect union.

In my many meetings with Morris, he would always conclude by asking, “What can I do for you?”

Jim: I hear you and will continue to focus on uniting and spurring others to do the same. We all can carry the torch for Morris to cement his legacy.

John Ruckelshaus is a former state senator.