Elliott (Buzz) Reed Morss died of cancer on Sept. 16 at his home in Lenox with his wife Kathy by his side. He was 82.

He was born in 1939 in Chestnut Hill and his family later moved to Wayland. His early schooling was at The Meadowbrook School, Fenn School and Milton Academy.

He received a B.A. with honors from Williams College in 1960 where he majored in economics and was a member of St. Anthony Hall fraternity. While at Williams, he played ice hockey and broke the college’s cross country record during his sophomore year, a record that still stands. He later earned a PhD in economics from Johns Hopkins University.

Throughout his career, Elliott taught economics at various universities, notably the University of Michigan, Brandeis and University of Palermo. He lectured at Harvard with a joint appointment in the economics department and the Law School.

Interested in public service and active involvement in the world, he moved in 1965 to Washington D.C. and worked for the International Monetary Fund. His focus was economic development in underdeveloped areas and he traveled widely and supervised many projects in Africa and Asia.

He was also a principal and director of research at Development Alternatives Inc. (DAI), a Washington, D.C. consulting firm also involved in global development work.

During the same period, Elliott helped start The National Journal, a serious Washington-based news magazine focused on government activities. He was also president and founder of Focus International Inc. He then became a private consultant working on various business, educational and development projects in more than 40 countries.

In 1985, Elliot returned to Boston as associate director at the Center for Asian Development Studies at Boston University and adjunct professor of Economics.

Most of his career decisions were influenced by his sense of social responsibility. He walked away from many situations when he felt he was not making a positive social contribution or because he felt the organization could function quite well without him.

Later in his career, he regularly wrote and published a blog, mostly on economic issues but often veering into other activities of interest to him such as the wine business and the arts, all of which he researched carefully and expressed strong but considered views about. He continued his serious reading until a few weeks before his death.

Growing up, Elliott spent summers with his family in West Chop, playing tennis, sailing and swimming.

When he returned to Boston, he joined the Brookline Country Club, where he played golf, tennis and bridge. He enjoyed cooking, gardening, cross country skiing and hiking.

He and his Williams classmate Matt Nimetz covered miles of terrain hiking together for more than 60 years, mostly in the Shenandoah region of Virginia when they both lived in Washington D.C., and later in the Catskills and Berkshires. Their last hike was in April 2021.

In 2011, Elliott and Kathy moved to Lenox and became active in several golf and social clubs. He was chairman of the Lenox Finance Committee for several years and traveled internationally with the American Association of Wine Economists.

He is survived by Kathy, his wife of 20 years; sisters Cynthia Travis and Martha Pat Nagi; six nieces and nephews and countless cousins. He was predeceased by his sister Caroline Lin DeYoung and his parents, J.Reed Morss and Corinthia Morss.

Burial will be private.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice Care in the Berkshires, Inc., 877 South Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201.