Grandpa Morris's Funeral

Grandpa Morris's funeral was Saturday, August 2nd. It was emotional but very spiritual. The services were good. The talks were very nice and the music was amazing. The Morris family is very musically talented and for some reason I wasn't blessed with that talent. My part of the funeral was making the program. It was more work then I imaged but in the end I was also happy to do them and happy they turned out good. After the funeral we proceeded to the grave site. My brothers and cousins were the Casket Bearers. My grandpa was a long time home pigeon flyer and he also had white pigeons that were used in the Mesa Temple's Easter pageant each year. So we thought it would be a nice thing to let go some white pigeons at the grave site. My uncle Jay let 13 white pigeons go for the 13 kids that were in my grandpa's family. I was snapping pictures as they flew off and trying to take in the moment while crying. I know my grandpa would have loved that we did that for him.

Hayden and Karlee trying to call the pigeons back

Grandma with her kids

Grandpa was layed to rest next to his brother Olie and sister-in-law Renee. A rose from grandpa's casket was placed on their grave.

What funeral program read

Remembering....
Tink

Born
September 10, 1926
Moncks Corner, South Carolina

Died
July 29, 2008
Queen Creek, Arizona



Funeral Services
Saturday, August 2, 2008 at 10:00 a.m.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Gilbert Val Vista Stake Center

FAMILY PRAYER Jay Morris
PRESIDING President Ernest Lawes
CONDUCTING Bishop Robert Topol
ORGANIST Stephen Phelps
CHORISTER Diana Ellsworth
OPENING HYMN “Families Can Be Together Forever”
INVOCATION Randy Morris
MUSICAL NUMBER “Abide With Me” Morris Family
LIFE STORY Ladonna Tafoya, Becky Orona, Sara Ray
MUSICAL NUMBER “When I Get To Where I Am Going” Robbie Morris & Cinda Rohan
SPEAKER Mark Poulsen
CLOSING REMARKS President Ernest Lawes
CLOSING HYMN "How Great Thou Art" Morris Nephews
BENEDICTION Wallace Morris



Casket Bearers
Tim Morris
Myron Morris
Kenny Morris
Brent Fuller
Mikey Morris
Ryan Fuller
Robbie Morris

Honorary Casket Bearers
Wallace Morris Osborne Morris
John Morris Jim Morris
Wendell Morris Andrew Tafoya
Mike Orona Charles Hall
Aaron Ray Adam Ray
Quinn Snyder Forest Anton
Elgin Yaramata Terry Fuller
Bill Rohan Lonnie Morris
Randy Morris Jay Morris

Final Resting Place
City of Mesa Cemetery
1212 North Center Street
Mesa, Arizona

Dedication of the grave
Lonnie Morris

Tink’s Posterity
19 Grandchildren
35 ½ Great Grandchildren

Grandpa Morris's viewing

Grandpa Morris's viewing was Friday, August 1st. When we walked in they had a table there of pictures and things of Grandpas. I almost started to lose it after I saw him sweater he always wore laying there displayed with other things of his. It was hard to see his watch, hat, wallet, keys and other things he always had with him. He would ask complete strangers if they wanted to see the prettiest women in the world. He would then take out his wallet and show them a picture of grandma when she was younger. He loved grandma so much and didn't want to leave her most on this earth. Before he passed she laid next to him and reassured him she would be ok. Grandma looked so nice at the viewing. She bought herself a new dress and she looked really good.

At the viewing a lot of people showed up and we had a nice time talking with family and friends. A slide show played of pictures of Grandpa and there was lots of pretty flowers sent.

Our second visit with Emmie

It was our second visit with Emmie and it was a little hard because we didn't have a lot of free time with her, we were constantly on the go. We got her Friday for the whole day and my Grandpa's viewing was that night. So after getting her we went dress shopping so she had something to wear. Then we ate brunch at Denny's and went home for a few hours.

Dress shopping

Fell asleep on the way home



It was her 1st time seeing our house. She had a blast with the play room and walking all around. But then it was time to get ready for the viewing. So I got her all dressed up and she looked so cute.

She is a happy little girl but does not like to smile when I take out the camera

The viewing was nice and a lot of the kids wanted to hold her and she did good. She met so many people. Most the time she was happy to see people but as the night went on she got real tired and just wanted Aaron or I. We had plans to meet the foster mom around 9pm and she said she would let us keep her over night due to the funeral being in the morning. Technically we aren't supposed to do over night visits yet but she said as long as we were ok with it, she is too. So we came home and Hayden and Emmie went right to bed because it was late. She slept through the night and woke up happy.

Emmie loved playing with cousin Hailey, she could really make her smile!

Grandpa's Obituary

Robert McNeil Morris Jr.

Robert McNeil Morris Jr., age 81, died July 29, 2008, at Queen Creek, AZ. Retired Chief Inspector for the Maricopa County Highway Department. Long time homing pigeon flyer. Survived by his wife LaReece Morris of Queen Creek, children: Lonnie Morris of Springerville, Randy Morris of Gilbert, Shanna Fuller of Queen Creek, Jay Morris of Gilbert, Cinda Rohan of Pinedale. Siblings: Osborne Morris, of Moncks Corner, SC, Wallace Morris of Mesa, Emogene Petersen of Snowflake, Luneil Johnson of Queen Creek, Elnora Wimmer of Mesa, Daisy Lou Orr of Mesa, John Morris of Queen Creek, Jim Morris of Mesa, Sandra Carter of Snowflake, Wendell Morris of Mesa and Linda Larson of Amalga, UT; 19 grandchildren and 35 great grandchildren. Preceded in death by his parents Robert M. Morris Sr., Marie Pauline Morris and brother Olin D. Morris. Services held Saturday, August 2nd, 10 AM, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Val Vista Stake Center, 1005 N. Voyager Gilbert, AZ 85234 Viewing held, Friday, August 1st, 7-9 PM at Bunkers Mortuary, 33 N. Centennial Way, Mesa, AZ 85201 Published in the East Valley Tribune on 7/31/2008

Grandpa's song

This song I added to my page "Can I have this Dance" is a song that reminds me of my grandpa from when I was young. Him and Cinda loved it and would sing it. I remember them singing it for talent shows and would dance to it when it played. So this has always been a song to me that I can hear anywhere and grandpa just pops in my head.

By the way....I told Cinda I added this song to my blog and she said as she drove grandpa down from the cabin Sunday night she sang this song to him. I thought it was so sweet and I am glad I remembered to add this song.

In loving memory of Grandpa Morris

My Grandpa Morris passed away today. I have so much to do and I am so tired but wanted to blog and get it all out. Plus this will be great for my journal. Grandpa was told he had 3 to 6 months to live about a month ago. He didn't believe it, he didn't want to talk about it so we did some things to prepare but left it alone. There wasn't much to do but enjoy our time with him. He has been at the cabin so I haven't seen him for a week but Sunday evening we got a call (while ending our visit with Emmie) that grandpa isn't doing well and they are bringing him home. This way he can be around his family and start getting help with Hospice. Well Monday I woke up and went to his house and you could tell this what it. He peeked him eyes open for a second as Hayden and I said hello to him in bed and let him know we were there. That's the last time he was alert to me. The rest of the day he slept. He would make his occasional sounds when he was in pain like Oi and uha. Hospice got him on some medication to make things more comfortable and all day we just watched him sleep as family and ward members came in to see him. I got home late last night and had a good sleep. I got up and got dressed and got there as fast as I could. When I got there I knew he was going to pass today. It was just a matter of when. He wouldn't respond to a thing. The Hospice people told us that sometimes they take longer to pass because he doesn't want to leave his family. That is so grandpa....he wants to be around us all the time and take care of us. So after noon we left the room and let grandma be alone with grandpa. She told him its ok to go, let him know she loved it and talked about their happy times. My Grandma's sister came to visit and went in the room. They were still talking about old times and they realized his breathing changed and he passed. Those of us there ran into the room and could tell he was gone. His shell of a body was left on that bed but Grandpa was not there anymore. We took our time all crying and we made calls to people who couldn't be there. Hospice got a hold of Bunckers and they came about a hour later to get his body. Before they got there we said good bye to him and some of the great grandkids (one being Hayden) sat on the bed next to him and sang some primary songs to him. When Bunkers came for him that was hard to let him leave and it was very emotional. But we all know he is better off and he lived a good long life. Saturday will be his funeral. I am making the program so I need to get going on it. And Cinda and I are doing the Obituary tonight. It happen so fast but it was a blessing because Grandpa couldn't stand being like this. He wouldn't have wanted to die slowly. Here is come pictures I have scanned of him for his funeral programs.


Grandpa as a baby

Grandpa as a teen hunting

Grandpa (1st on the left) with all his siblings and parents.

Just moved to Queen Creek, AZ from South Carolina in the early 1950's

Grandpa serving his Country

Just Married!

Grandpa, Grandma and their kids (my mom is the girl at the bottom)

Grandpa loved his pigeons

July 2008

1st visit with Emmie

Today was our 1st visit with Emmie. She lives with a foster family who lives over a hour away so we met half way at our tax office. It was a nice little hang out area because we have couches and toys in our waiting area. We got to spend about 5 hrs with her and a few family members took the time to stop by to meet her. Time flew by and we had a good time. She is a very good little girl. She was so quite, she listens really well, she is a happy little girl, and just so easy going. Hayden was confused at 1st but by the end of our visit he kept telling us how much he loves her. He was also sad to see her go home with her foster family. He kept asking why she wasn't going home with us. No matter what I said he didn't like the answer so I told him its because her room isn't ready. So he said when we got home we had to get it ready. But for now we will continue visits with her and she should be in our home some time next month.