Obituary of Marjorie E. Morris

Everyone knows that Mother had a sense of humor; inherited it would seem from her father, William Elmer Sexton Thurston, who was known to all as “Elmer”. Mother never teased… perhaps, because she had been a tease early in life (following grandpa’s example, you think?). She truly believed that it was okay to tell her not-so-favorite aunt and uncle that she thought that they should name their new baby “Fido”. They were not amused. Although Mother acted like a princess at times, she was loving and generous. On the one hand, she could give a look that withered if she were crossed; but if anyone needed money, she was the one to go to. Family or friend; it made no difference to her. If there was a need to be filled, no one was turned away. Many friends of the family have inspiring stories to tell about her generosity. So many memories come to mind when I think of my mother, not all of them happy - the unhappy ones as a result of something that I said or did. All of the happy ones were as a result of something that she said or did. One of the earliest memories that I have of her caring ways, was of her heating up towels for me and wrapping my painful legs until I fell asleep or the pain went away. She must have had to heat them with an iron or in the oven, but they kept coming until my pain went away. In the last eight years or so, she mostly just wanted to be at home. That’s where we wanted her to finish out her days. She could be lured out on the rare occasion by the brain child of Beverly and Renee’, the annual Thurston Family Luau, or a game of “Upwords”, or when it was too cold or too warm at her house. Recently, when I would visit her in the Belmont Center, she would light up and smile when I walked into the room and would say to me “I’m so glad you came”, and “I love you berry, berry much”. It was so difficult to leave her there each evening. Even more difficult now, she has left me behind. She struggled so, in the past couple of months that it is with relief for those of us who saw her suffering that she is done with it. It was very comforting to go to sleep last night with Mother in the room. Beverly and Mary Catherine went with me to collect her yesterday. She was there when I woke up this morning. I felt comforted again, but also guilty that I had her all to myself. Now that you have read some of my thoughts, please feel free to leave thoughts of your own. Do it now and don’t put it off until later. You may never get a “round tuit”.