Morris, Colette Therese

Colette Therese Morris - age: 74
(November 12, 1938 to February 04, 2013 )
Resident of Ukiah, California

Obituary:
Colette Morris, long time Ukiah resident, died at the age of 74 after a brief illness.
Colette was born in Indianapolis, IN on November 12, 1938. As a child she lived in both Indianapolis and Detroit. In Detroit she and her family lived in a 28 foot streamline trailer parked in a large field. She loved exploring nature and making skating rinks in the winter, it was there that her life long love of nature began. In 1947, her parents moved her and her beloved brother, Alan, to Southern California. Colette attended St. Ferdinand’s Catholic School, and Burbank High. She missed her Catholic education and asked her parents to allow her to attend Bellermine Jefferson, a Catholic High School, her senior year. That year she was crowned Prom Queen, and was runner up to be the Rose Bowl Queen, which would have allowed her to ride the Burbank Rose Bowl Float. She graduated in 1956 and took a job at Lockheed in the Spares Department.

She married Jack Morris on February 15, 1958 in Burbank and soon started their family. Colette loved being a mom to David, Dale, and Merrie, but did not like raising them in the smog filled valley. She and Jack went on an expedition to find the perfect place to raise their children. They found their Shangri-La when they visited Jack’s family in Ukiah. It met their prerequisites: it had a Catholic School and a place Jack could start his new Barber Shop, it was beautiful and smog free. They moved to Ukiah in 1967, and welcomed their fourth child, Charles, in 1968.

Colette was very active in all areas of her children’s life, leading cub scouts, school and church related activities. She even led several groups of kids up to the U above Ukiah. Her favorite quote was: “One hundred years from now, it will not matter what kind of car I drove, what kind of house I lived in, how much I had in my bank account, nor what my clothes looked like. But the world may be a little better because I was important in the life of a child.” She lived her life knowing that children learned by watching what you do, not by listening to what you say. She helped the area’s indigent by preparing and bringing meals to those in need. She taught her children to be kind and generous, to help when you can, and always to treat others as you would want to be treated. She taught them to be loving spouses and siblings and to be dedicated parents to her grandchildren, just as she was to her children.

Colette welcomed every child into her home. She became the “second mom” to many children, and loved them as much as she loved her own children. Though her table was often not large enough to sit everyone, she always had enough food to feed anyone who came to her table.

Colette and Jack enjoyed an active life. They attended many Elks’ parties and Mardi Gras Masquerades. They water skied and fished. Colette was not only an avid reader, but a writer too. She wrote poetry for most important occasions: birthdays, anniversaries and births of grandchildren. She also wrote a book that chronicled her family’s history.

Colette was active in the community and served on the Planning Commission where preserving green areas and trees were important to her. She was a staunch environmentalist.

Colette worked for 20 years at the Mendocino County Hospital as the admissions clerk and then managed Dr. Matossian’s office for several years before retiring. She and her husband enjoyed many trips in their RV. They traveled all over the Western United States, venturing as far as Lake Louise in Canada, a friend’s home in Texas and family in Oklahoma. They loved traveling with the Wandering Wapitis.

Colette is preceded in death by her parents, Francis and Elizabeth (Betty) Roell. She is survived by her beloved husband Jack Morris, son David Morris, his wife, Elaine and granddaughters, Amanda and Heather (Ukiah, CA); her son Dale Morris, his wife, Kim, and grandchildren Greg and Sara (Ventura, CA); her daughter Merrie Morris-Mazzetti, her husband Rob Mazzetti, and grandchildren Siena and Cordell (Austin, TX) and son, Charles Morris, his wife, Janet and grandsons Christopher and Jonathan (Ukiah, CA). She is also survived by her beloved brother, Alan Roell, his daughters, Michelle Sezzi and Ashton Roell. She is survived by her niece Pamela Hill.

She will be greatly missed by all who knew her and the countless number of people she called family.

The family would like to thank all who cared for their mother during her illness. The kindness and respect she was given was greatly appreciated.

There will be a viewing at 6 followed by a Rosary at 7 PM on February 21, 2013 at Eversole Mortuary. The funeral will be February 22 at 11:00 AM at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. A reception at St. Mary’s Church will follow the burial.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be in made in her name to Save the Redwoods League
114 Sansome Street, Suite 1200, San Francisco, CA 94104-3823, (415) 820-5800 or St. Mary’s Catholic School Foundation (707) 462-2276.