Lavina (Vi) Morris, 86

Lavina (Vi) Morris, 86, of Gallipolis, Ohio, passed away on Thursday, July 3, 2014. Vi was born November 21, 1927 in Houston, Texas, the daughter of Alice Wright Williams and Harvey B. Williams.

At the age of 10, Lavina spent summers on a farm with her grandmother who was one-quarter Cherokee by blood and taught her, by example, to honor nature and its healing ways. Through these experiences, she began to discover the joy of writing.

By middle school, Lavina had read every book at the local library. She graduated from Milby High School in 1944, and attended Abilene Christian College in Abilene, Texas. Due to cost and limited gasoline, she took the train alone at age 16 over 800 miles to college.

When Bill Morris returned from WWII and swept her off her feet at age 17, Vi put college on hold. They married on August 22, 1945, and raised four children together in Houston and then Baytown, Texas. Vi completed her undergrad degree at the University of Houston in 1955 with a major in English.

Once her four children were in school, Vi taught senior English at Robert E. Lee High School in Baytown. She eventually obtained a master’s degree in Library Science at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, commuting back and forth to her family in Baytown. She completed the program in record time, and became head librarian at Robert E. Lee High School in Baytown until she and Bill retired in the late 1970s.

She will be remembered for her frequent smiles that would light up the room, and for her warm hugs that had friends and family standing in line.

Lavina is survived by three daughters and one son: Robin (Kevin) Lyles of Gallipolis, Kathryn (Ron) Kleyn of Fresno, CA, Karen Morris of Cambridge, MA, and Ronald Morris of Minneapolis, MN. Ten grandchildren, one granddaughter, several nephews, one niece, and several cousins also survive her.

She was preceded in death by her husband William S. Morris on November 15, 2004, her dear brother H.B. Williams, Sister-in-law Bobbie Williams, and her parents.

Friends may call on Monday, July 7, 2014 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Willis Funeral Home in Gallipolis. Graveside services will be held at 9 a.m. Friday, July 11, 2014 at the West Hill Cemetery in Sherman, Texas.

Please visit www.willisfuneralhome.com to send e-mail condolences.