The inventor of the frisbee had his ashes molded into frisbee discs.

The Man Behind the Frisbee Had One Final Wish

Walter Morrison didn't just want to be remembered for inventing one of the most iconic outdoor toys in history — he wanted to become one. When Morrison passed away on February 9, 2010, at the age of 90, his family honored a request that was perfectly in character for the man: his ashes were mixed into a batch of plastic and molded into a limited number of Frisbee discs.

From Pie Tins to Pop Culture Legend

Morrison's journey to Frisbee fame started in the late 1930s when he and his girlfriend (later wife) Lu discovered that people on a Santa Monica beach would pay good money to watch them toss a popcorn tin lid back and forth. That simple observation sparked decades of tinkering.

After serving as a pilot in World War II — including surviving time as a prisoner of war — Morrison threw himself into designing a superior flying disc. In 1948, he created the first plastic disc, called the Flyin-Saucer, capitalizing on the nation's UFO obsession at the time. He refined the design through the early 1950s, eventually producing the Pluto Platter in 1955.

Wham-O Takes the Disc and Runs

In 1957, Morrison sold the rights to the Pluto Platter to the toy company Wham-O. It was Wham-O that renamed it the "Frisbee," reportedly inspired by the Frisbie Pie Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut, whose pie tins college students had long been tossing around for fun. Morrison reportedly disliked the new name — he thought "Pluto Platter" had a much better ring to it.

Despite selling the rights, Morrison did receive royalties, and it's estimated he earned around one million dollars over the decades from the deal. Not bad for a flying disc that started as a popcorn tin lid on a California beach.

Going Out on His Own Terms

Morrison's decision to have his ashes turned into Frisbees is the kind of story that sounds like an urban legend but is completely documented. His family carried out his wishes after his death, and a small number of memorial discs were created. It was a fitting farewell for a man whose entire life seemed oriented around the joy of a well-thrown disc catching air.

It also speaks to Morrison's personality — inventive, a little eccentric, and deeply committed to the thing he created. He gave countless interviews in his later years, always passionate about the history of the disc and eager to make sure people knew the Frisbee didn't come from nowhere.

A Legacy Literally Cast in Plastic

Most inventors leave behind patents, prototypes, or maybe a plaque somewhere. Walter Morrison left behind something you can actually throw at the park on a sunny afternoon. Whether or not you're holding one of those very special memorial discs, every Frisbee in flight carries a little piece of his story.