Elizabeth A. “Betsy” Morris, 1927-2024
Elizabeth A. Morris of Oxford, PA, passed away peacefully at home on March 5, 2024.
Betsy was born in Pottsville, PA to the late Paul and Mary Hanley Purcell. She attended parochial elementary school and graduated from Pottsville Catholic High School in 1945. Until her marriage, Betsy worked as a Switchboard Operator for Bell Telephone in Philadelphia and in Pottsville.
Betsy married Frank Morris on June 2, 1951. Frank worked in the banking industry in Philadelphia, Newark, Dover and Wilmington, so the family relocated frequently. This was no small task for them, as the moves required relocating their family of 12 children too!
Betsy and Frank loved to travel around the world for Frank’s job, to visit their children and to travel with their children. Their strong Catholic faith sustained them throughout the years of their marriage.
Betsy was preceded in death by her husband Frank, in 2005, and by her beloved daughter Jane earlier this year.
Betsy is survived by 11 of her children and their spouses: Christine (Jerry), Frank (Ginny), Buffy (Steve), Patricia (Richard), Susan (Richard), Ellen (Joe), Tim (Kathleen), Marie (Bash), David (Margarita), Kate (Kieran), Dan (Julie) and Len (Jane’s spouse). She is also survived by 24 grandchildren: Sara, Ellen and Katy; Jane and Tim; Dan, Matt, Sara and Sam; Richard, Claire, David and George; Joseph and Molly; Tim and Megan; Anna and Molly; Michael, Jack and Andrew; Garrett and Jackson. Finally, 12 (soon to be 15!) great-grandchildren survive Betsy: Daniel, Matthew and Emma; Evie, Ryan and Owen; Nico and Arthur; Eliza; Dominic and Arlo; and Bash.
Betsy’s family greatly benefitted from the addition of stepchildren: Caroline and Scott; Bob and Beth; Syrena and Jessica; Michelle; Liam, Owen and Lily.
Betsy’s family will remember her for many things; chief among them her love of the beach, babies, dogs, gardening, and her fashion sense. Her passions enriched her family’s lives and their lives will not be the same without her.
Betsy loved babies and was amazing with them. She was a savior to her children and their newborns when she came to help. She had an encyclopedic knowledge of caring for babies. The grand-babies and later great-grand-babies instinctively knew they were in the best of hands when held by their grandmother/their “GG.”
Betsy’s love of dogs was legendary. A succession of Dalmatians, Porties, and the odd Poodle and Vizsla kept her company over the years. As she got older, her children’s and grandchildren’s dogs all loved to visit her and she wholeheartedly returned their love.
Betsy loved to garden. Although she wouldn’t admit it, she was a gifted flower arranger. She always had lovely arrangements from her gardens in her home no matter the season.
One of Betsy’s greatest loves was the beach, especially Avalon. She could sit and watch the ocean for hours on end. This love of the water was shared with her whole family who in turn have shared it with their own families, enriching all their lives.
Betsy loved playing all kinds of games with her family. She excelled at card games and board games and had a special place in her heart for challenging her grandchildren to a game of Rummikub.
Betsy devoted her life to her family. They will be forever grateful for the love and joy she shared with them and their families.
The Morris Family would like to gratefully acknowledge the wonderful care given by the staff of Willow Tree Hospice who made Betsy’s last days at home much brighter and more comfortable.
Friends are invited to join Betsy’s family in a funeral service on Wednesday, March 13 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph on the Brandywine Church at 10 Old Church Road, Wilmington, Delaware 19807.
In lieu of flowers, the Morris Family suggests contributions to one of the following in memory of Betsy and her daughter, Jane Blessing:
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) @ jdrf.org
Jane’s former elementary school for a library fund in Jane’s honor.
Montclair Elementary, Attn: Liz Greenberg, 820 Massachusetts Ave., Pensacola, FL 32505
For online condolences visit: www.mccreryandharra.com
