Virginia Morris passes away peacefully

DOWNEY -- Virginia Mae Morris, a longtime resident and active in schools and her church, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Feb. 28.Morris was recently admitted to Kaiser Permanente Hospital with an infection, and later contracted pneumonia. Her death was due to complications of pneumonia and Alzheimer's disease. She was 91, and had suffered from Alzheimer's for more than 10 years. She and her late husband, Mack Morris, moved to Downey in 1946, and purchased property for a home when the surrounding area was all orange groves and corn fields. Morris was born in Ogden, Utah, where her father was a railroad engineer with Union Pacific. The family lived in Ogden and Park City until her father's death in 1932. The family (her mother and two older brothers) then moved to Huntington Park when she was 16. After graduating from Huntington Park High School, she attended a trade school and became a licensed beautician, and worked out of a beauty shop in Los Angeles. Morris' best friend, Elizabeth Morris, introduced Virginia to her brother, Mack, who was on furlough from the Army. Mack and Virginia married in 1943 and had one son, D. Mark Morris in 1947. Mack worked as a general contractor until his death. She then worked at Grants in the day, and was trained as a nursing attendant for Rancho Los Amigos Hospital, where she worked nights in the amputee and spinal chord ward. She retired from Rancho after 25 years of service. Morris was an active member of the Downey Fourth Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where she served in many positions of leadership. She was Primary President and Relief Society President, and a Sunday school teacher. She was a temple ordinance worker at the Los Angeles Temple, and did genealogy and family history. Morris was active in the community and served in the Boy Scouts of America, and the PTA while her son attended Downey schools. She served as treasurer of the Downey Council PTA. Morris was preceded in death by her husband, Mack, in 1966. She is survived by her son, D. Mark (Pamela) Morris, of Downey; five grandchildren, Allison (Scott) Marshall, of Whittier, Kathryn Morris, Brian Morris, Sharon Morris, and Wayne Morris, of Downey; and one great-grandchild, Brent Marhsall. Services were held yesterday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Downey at 10 a.m., with interment following at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier. Allen-English & Estrada Funeral Service in Bell Gardens assisted the family. ********** Published: March 6, 2009 - Volume 7 - Issue 46