About
Virginia Morris Obituary
WEST DES MOINES, IOWA — Virginia Eloise (Newman) Morris, 87, died July 31, 2008, in West Des Moines, Iowa, from complications of cancer.
Virginia was born Jan. 17, 1921 in Cincinnati, Ohio, to Jesse and Florence (Seymour) Newman. She grew up in Anderson, graduating in 1939 from Anderson High School. She was active in the school’s award-winning a cappella choir and performed in Washington, D.C., for First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. In 1942, Virginia graduated from Saint John’s Hospital School of Nursing in Anderson as a registered nurse. During her career, she did hospital, doctor’s office, private-duty and college health clinic nursing.
On July 21, 1946, Virginia married William McKay Morris. During their nearly 40-year marriage, Bill and Virginia lived in Somerville, N.J.; Oil City and Mercer, Pa.; Marietta, Ohio; Urbandale, Iowa; and Lake Zurich, Ill.
Surviving are their two children, John D. (Nancy) Morris of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Eloise M. (Al) Gardner of West Des Moines, Iowa, plus six grandchildren, Hannah Garside, Claire (Drew) Clark, Rebecca (Aaron) Mueller, Reid Morris, Drew Lietzow and Isaac Gardner; and great-grandchild, Mekhi Lietzow. Following Bill’s death in March 1986, Virginia enjoyed living at Luther Village in Arlington Heights, Ill., until moving to Iowa in 2005.
Virginia loved cooking and baking, gardening, helping home-bound senior citizens, leadership in Welcome Wagon clubs, teaching children’s Sunday school and traveling. She was a lifelong Presbyterian and served her church in many capacities.
Visitation from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Brown-Butz-Diedring Funeral Home, 515 E. 53rd St., Anderson, Ind. Interment will be 10 a.m. Saturday at Anderson Memorial Park Cemetery.
Memorial gifts in her honor may be made to Wycliffe Bible Translators or local chapter of the American Cancer Society or Alzheimer’s Association.
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3 Entries
Chuck Cooper
August 9, 2008
I met Virginia and Bill on a church married couples retreat about 30 years ago. My wife and I were the "young couple" then, inspired by this older couple who were still very much in love. Virginia never failed to say hello and express interest in our family from that time until I last saw her in Arlington Heights. Sorry to her of her passing.
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Jane Polnaszek-Gray & children
August 5, 2008
John & Eloise & family:
Our sincere sympathy to your whole family on the loss of this remarkable woman.
I remember Virginia with great fondness. Her & Bill were such great neighbors on Hobblebush in Lk. Zurich.
When my late husband became afflicted with ALS, she gave my children weekly doses of candy and once bought them needed clothes.
She saved my son from being run over by a truck one day and came to his aid. Our hero!
I have and will always be thankful for her caring & generous nature.
May God Bless her and hold her in the palm of His hand.
Brown-Butz-Diedring Funeral Home
August 2, 2008
Offering our deepest condolences during this difficult time.
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