Barbara Faye Farrell Morris' Obituary
Barbara Faye Farrell Morris passed away peacefully on January 29, 2025, with her children by her side at the age of 88.
She was born on August 7, 1936, in Nashville, Tennessee, to Edna Mae Stephens Farrell and Aubrey Clark Farrell. She grew up in the Historic Lockeland Springs area of East Nashville, where her family was very active in the Lockeland Baptist Church. She attended Lockeland Elementary School, Nashville East Junior High, and graduated from Nashville East High School in 1954. For college, she attended The University of Memphis and graduated in 1958 with a degree in Education.
Barbara taught second grade at Jackson Elementary, and during her early teaching years, she held several summer jobs. She worked at Sears, modeled at Levy’s Clothing Store, and was a relief receptionist for Memphis Mayor Henry Loeb.
In July 1960, she met Earl Kelton Morris when a co-worker set them up on a blind date. When Kelton was called into service a few months later, she won his heart by sending him off with a loaf of homemade banana nut bread. They married in May of 1965 at First Baptist Church in Memphis and remained side by side for almost 60 years until his passing last month.
In 1978, she returned to teaching kindergarten at Presbyterian Day School and retired in 1993. She truly enjoyed working with the boys at PDS and counted starting them off in their academic careers and teaching them to read as some of her most significant accomplishments. While at PDS, she was honored to receive the Distinguished Teacher Award, Annual Yearbook Dedication Award, and Honor Alumnus Award. She also received The Roundtable Tribute to Teachers from the Peabody College at Vanderbilt University.
Barbara loved to entertain and hosted countless parties for friends, wedding showers, and baby showers. She was constantly cooking a meal or taking a cake to a friend or family in need. Barbara truly loved her circle of life-long friends and taking care of others.
She was a member of The Woman’s Exchange, where she served as secretary, the chair of several committees, and served on the Executive board. She was also a member of the English Speaking Union, the Decorative Arts Trust with Brooks Museum, and the Duration Club in Memphis.
She treasured trips to the British Isles, Europe, Russia, and within the United States with friends and Kelton, especially the many annual vacations with her family to Kiawah Island and Charleston, South Carolina. Her mother instilled in her a love of antiques and history, which led to her love of collecting antiques and Mason’s English Iron Stone China. Many of the decorative items in their home were curated on these trips.
Barbara is preceded in death by her husband, Earl Kelton Morris, Sr., and is survived by her children Kelton (Leigh) Morris, Jr. and Courtney (Hailey) Williamson; her beloved grandchildren, Aubrey Morris, Lauren Morris, Hale Williamson, and Kelton Williamson; her brother, John Clark Farrell (Ann) of Jacksonville, Florida, her niece, nephews, and cousins and family members.
Thank you to the teams at the Opus, Baptist East Hospital, and the Baptist Reynolds Hospice House teams for their attention and care to Barbara and her family during this difficult time.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial gifts be made to the Presbyterian Day School Annual Fund or to the Alzheimer’s Association of West Tennessee.
A Service for Barbara will be held on Friday, February 7, at 1:00 pm in the Riverside Chapel at Memorial Park Funeral Home, with a reception to follow afterward from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Burial will be held privately.
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