Lee Merlyn Morris

Published 12:49 am Monday, January 29, 2018

WOODVILLE — Services for Lee Merlyn Morris, 89, of Woodville, who died  Friday, Jan. 26, 2018, at his residence, will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at Newman Funeral Home in Woodville.

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. today at the funeral home.

Mr. Morris was born Oct. 20, 1928, the son of Edward R. “Ned” Morris Sr. and Susan Fauver Smith Morris.

He was a hard worker, a proud Marine, a cattle farmer and previously a papermill worker. He had an unwavering commitment to his country, his family, his conservative values and particularly his Christian faith. As a young man, he graduated from the historic Jefferson Military College in Washington. He served his country in the Korean Conflict as a Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton in San Diego and later Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, N.C. After the Marines, he worked at the Crown Zellerbach Paper Mill in St. Francisville, La. He loved telling his grandchildren stories of his youth in Wilson, La. He was a longstanding member of Woodville United Methodist Church.

He is preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Daisye Ferguson Morris, to whom he was a constant and dedicated caregiver during her illness and time of need; brother, Edward Roscoe “Ned” Morris Jr.; and sisters, Mary Margaret Morris and Katherine Jack Morris Jones.

Survivors include his wife of 24 years, Ann (Wilkerson) Morris; his sons, Lee Morris Jr. of Chino Valley, Ariz.; Keith Morris and his wife Carolyn of Houston, Texas; his granddaughter Christina Morris of Jackson; Ann Morris’ children, David and Elizabeth Wilkerson of Woodville, Suzanne and Mike Osborne of Jackson and step-grandchildren Kate Wilkerson, Garrett Wilkerson, Cal Wilkerson, Carter Osborne, Will Osborne and Logan Osborne.

Pallbearers include Shep Crawford, Wallace Ferguson, Ricky Jarvis, Logan Osborne, Will Osborne, Jody Sessions, DD Sumrall and Garrett Wilkerson.