Eugene Edward Morris

Eugene "Gene" Morris passed peacefully from this earth on Wednesday, April 23, 2014 at his home in Redding, California, with his wife by his side.

He was born December 22, 1929, in Howard, Kansas, to Edward and Alice (Poole) Morris. One of eight siblings, Eugene attended a one-room school and learned the value of hard work and determination growing up on a sharecropper's farm during the Depression.

After graduating high school in 1948, Eugene enlisted in the US Navy and served as a radioman on the USS Duncan during the Korean War. While stationed in San Diego, he met his future bride, Mary Lou Gregor. They married in 1951 and began their life in Southern California together.

Gene and Mary Lou lived in Covina, California where he was employed by Western Electric, then AT&T, for 35 years. Together they raised five children: John. Ken, Mary, Larry, and Linda. Gene retired in 1984 and they moved to Redding, California.

Gene was a faithful family man who enjoyed fishing, gardening, puttering, and maintaining his home. He was also among the favorites at the weekly Bingo games at the Redding Senior Center and their bus trips to Reno. An avid storyteller, he could entertain a crowd of any size with his recollections of life in the Midwest and his exploits in the Navy.

Gene Morris is preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Willard, Chester, and Lewis; his sisters Ruth, Coretta, and Edith; and his daughter-in-law, Linda Morris. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Mary Lou Morris of Redding; his sister, Dorothy Goss of Wichita, Kansas; his five children and their spouses, fourteen grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and many nephews and nieces, a legacy of which he was extremely proud.

The family would like to extend their gratitude to the Mercy Hospice of Redding for their kind assistance.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Redding Veteran's Cemetery would be appreciated.