Frances Childs Rosenthal Morris

Frances Childs Rosenthal Morris, age 97, of Charlottesville, Va., died on March 16, 2017, at Westminster-Canterbury of the Blue Ridge. Born on February 3, 1920, in Tiffin, Ohio, she was the daughter of Harvey and Celeste Rosenthal. She was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Edmund (Ned); her sisters, Nancy Perrizo and Joan Coulter; and her daughter, Joan-Harvey Morris Bentson. Fran and Ned lived in Cranford, N.J., for many years, with a two-year interlude in Memphis, Tenn., in the early 1970's. Fran was loved by all as the hostess of the most welcoming home in the community, and likewise she was appreciated for her commitment to social service activities. In 1978 they retired to Crozet, Va., where Fran was an active member of Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Greenwood, Va. Both Fran and Ned were proud founders of Westminster-Canterbury of the Blue Ridge, and she loved the cottage she designed into which they moved in 1990. She is survived by her sister, Celeste Hocs of North Haven, Conn.; her daughters, Susan C. Morris (Don Wolford) of Barrington, Ill., and Margaret R. Morris (Chuck Dorr) of Brooklyn, N.Y.; her five grandsons, Elliot Leflar (Laura) of Charlottesville, Va., James Leflar III (Caroline) of LaGrange, Ill., David Leflar of Asheville, N.C., Edmund (Pete) Bentson (Jillian) of Summit, N.J., and Thomas S. Bentson (Anna) of Lynchburg, Va.; three great-grandsons, Charles, Andrew, and John Bentson of Summit, N.J., and two great-granddaughters, Eleanor and Ivy Leflar of LaGrange, Ill. The family expresses special thanks to all the staff at Westminster-Canterbury of the Blue Ridge, especially to those in the Health Center, 2nd floor, as well as to the loving and dedicated caretakers and companions from Home Instead. A brief memorial service will be held in the WCBR Chapel on Monday, March 27, 2017,at 11 a.m., with a reception to follow. Interment of the cremains will be held in the early summer at Fairview Cemetery, Westfield, N.J. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to the Fellowship Fund at Westminster-Canterbury of the Blue Ridge, 250 Pantops Mountain Road, Charlottesville, VA 22911. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.hillandwood.com.