Bethany Morse

1983 - 2018

Bethany Jo Morse, 34, a beautiful soul, passed from this life to the life everlasting on Friday, Feb. 2, 2018 at her residence in Nashville. Named for her late grandmother, Joanne "Jo" Boatner, Bethany was born June 30, 1983 in Tupelo to Dennis and Judy Boatner Morse. Later blessed with two brothers, Denny and Jordan, she grew up attending school here and being her mischievous, individualized self. She moved to California and graduated from high school there, attended Cabrillo Community College, then returned home where she attended Itawamba Community College. She was one semester away from receiving a Bachelor degree in Social Work from Tennessee State University in Nashville. Bessy, as she was often called, had her own unique personality and her demeanor was much inclined to the hippy generation of the 1960's. The joy of her life was her son, Tyler, born on May 8, 2012. She devoted the last 5 years of her life to his wellbeing as a non-verbal, autistic young boy. She was fierce in her advocacy for his rights and needs, as well as for the autism community as a whole. Bethany was blessed to find a family in her friends at Renewal House in Nashville four years ago, where she became addiction free and remained until her death. She had the soul and spirit of a warrior and was a celebrated advocate throughout the State of Tennessee speaking to groups, personally assisting others with their addiction problems and lending a helping hand in multiple ways to make their lives better. She was grateful for her sobriety, and spent every spare moment she had ministering in numerous ways to the underdog-the least, last, and most vulnerable of God's children. She was beloved by street people in Nashville and was a poster subject throughout the state for advocacy programs and solutions. She met with Legislators from Tennessee and Mississippi on addiction issues and the opioid crisis, where her first-hand accounts were well respected and revered. Bethany was also the administrator for the website Memphis War on Heroin with over 4,000 members, where she ministered to addicts and their families and found treatment for those with no resources. She was very active with Tennessee Overdose prevention, where she was a NARCAN advocate, distributor and trainer.

A service celebrating her life will be at 2 PM, Friday, February 9, 2018 in the Tupelo Chapel of Holland Funeral Directors with Bro. David Westmoreland officiating. A graveside service will follow in Endville Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday from 5 PM to 7 PM and Friday from 12 PM to service time. Condolences to the family may be e-mailed to hollandfuneraldirectors@comcast.net.

Her beloved family who are left to mourn her death are her parents, Dennis and Judy Boatner Morse of Tupelo; her 5-year-old son, Zachary Tyler Morse; brothers, Denny Morse (Ericka) of California and Jordan Morse of Tupelo, Cousins Allison, Brian, Jesse, Alan, Joe, Lee and Luke aunts, Cynthia Stepp (Eddie) of Tupelo, and Marilyn Hicks (Larry) of Tupelo; uncle, Buck Boatner (Vivien) of Endville; a host of near relatives and her beloved dog Ted.