Loretta Romaine Morris was born September 29, 1934, in St. Joseph, Missouri, the daughter of Elizabeth Ellen (Bessie) King and John William (Jack) Chamberlin. Loretta grew up in the St. Joseph, Bonner Springs, Kansas and Mound City areas. She passed peacefully from this life into eternity on December 12, 2023, at Tiffany Heights Care Center in Mound City, Missouri.
On March 25, 1951, Loretta was married to Warren Wright Morris in Brownville, Nebraska, and they were married for 61 years before his passing on December 24, 2012. To this union was born five children. Loretta loved her children and their descendants with her whole heart and was happiest when she was spending time with them. She was affectionately called “Granny” by all her family.
Loretta was a pragmatic woman, and could always be counted on to get things done. She worked many jobs during her career, including Schoonover’s Café, Sandy’s Green Kitchen, Tiffany Heights, Silver Dollar City, Mound City’s walnut factory, and Mound City Nutrition Site. In 2017, she moved to Maryville, and began baking pies, quick breads and cakes, and making aprons and baby quilts to sell at the Maryville Farmer’s Market; an activity she participated in until this past summer. She was well-known for baking pies, which were often requested at pot luck dinners. Some of her favorite activities were embroidery and quilting, and she finished a hand-pieced quilt this past summer. She collected pottery, oil lamps and baskets, particularly Longaberger baskets. Loretta was also an avid gardener. Her flower garden was admired by many, and several gardens in the Holt County area were enhanced by her gifts of flower bulbs and starts. She was a member of the Christian Fellowship Church.
Loretta was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her son, Warren Franklin Morris; and a sister, June Blevins.
She is survived by her children, Helen Elizabeth (Stephen) Smith, Maryville; Buddy Allen Morris, Bigelow; John Raymond (Mary) Morris, Boswell, Indiana; and Terry Lynn Morris, Independence, Missouri; 12 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren and eight great-great grandchildren. She is also survived by a sister, Janet Kapple, Fairmont, West Virginia; and five brothers, Bob (Susie) Chamberlin, Bill (Evelyn) Chamberlin, Kenny (Teresa) Chamberlin, Donnie Chamberlin, and Charlie Malone, each of Marietta, Ohio.
Loretta requested to be cremated; she will be inurned at Benton Cemetery, next to her beloved Warren. In lieu of flowers, she requested memorials to Benton Cemetery. A time of visitation will be held at Christian Fellowship Church, on Friday, December 29, 2023 at 9 a.m., with services to follow at 10 a.m.
