Kathleen Ann Morris

January 10, 1942 - March 29, 2013

Kathleen Ann Morris, 71, a resident of the Forest Grove community died Friday afternoon, March 29, 2013 at her home.

Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be said at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 5, 2013 at St Anthony Catholic Church, 1660 Elm Street in Forest Grove.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated following the Rosary at 11:30am.
Rite of Christian Burial and Vault interment will follow the mass at Mountainview Cemetery in Forest Grove, OR

Family and friends are invited to attend a reception following the Burial held at the parish hall.

Kathleen was born on January 10, 1942 in Carroll, Iowa. She was one of four children born to George and Rosellen (Conrad) Wood. She moved with her family to Omak, WA as a young girl where she was raised and received her education. She attended Omak Union High School and graduated with the Class of 1960.

She met her future husband, Robert “Bob” Morris, while at a dance. They soon began dating and were married on December 28, 1960. in Omak, WA. Following their marriage they made their home in central Washington until moving to Forest Grove in 1963. 

Kathleen was a loving mother to her five children but she also worked outside the home as a meat wrapper for Safeway. Kathleen was also the Secretary/treasurer for UFCW 555 and had been appointed by two governors for a committee seat at the Joint Labor Management committee for the State of Oregon. Kathleen also was appointed as Trustee for the UFCW Pension & Trust fund and had served as an executive Board Member for the UFCW International NW Region.

Kathleen had also served three terms as a Forest Grove council member and had been an active volunteer in Kiwanis. She was a devoted Catholic and enjoyed volunteering at St Anthony Catholic Church. She was an avid sports fan especially when her children and grandchildren played. She loved to dance, was an avid reader and spending time with her children and grandchildren. She loved the outdoors and would often go camping and dirt bike riding.

She is preceded in death by her parents, and two children; April & Stan Morris and a granddaughter; Kalin Morris.

She is survived by her loving husband, Bob, three children and their spouses; Brenda and Calvin Bowes of Forest Grove, OR, Kelly and Bobby Shumaker of Guadalupe, CA, Ron and Kenna Morris of Forest Grove, OR, three brothers; Ron, Joe and Dan Wood, five grandchildren; Kristen, Jessica, Krystle, Katie and Colby and six great grandchildren.

I have earned this body of mine. It’s not perfect but it has served me well for many, many years. I wear my body as the cover of a long and interesting book. Each line, wrinkle, scar and imperfection is a different chapter of my book.

These laugh lines come from silly punch lines to childish school yard jokes. They come from the private conversations between my husband and my self. They come from watching my children trying new things and their successes and not-so-successful attempts to master new skills. They come from having my grandchildren run full throttle at me as they yell “Grandma, you’re here.”

These scars are testimony to my attempts to learn to ride a bike, do a cartwheel, dice an onion into tiny cubes, scrub the shower stall until it shines, and hang mini blinds. They serve to tell the story of child birth and surgeries. They are badges of honor to wear proudly because I had the courage to try new things.

These frown lines represent sick children, the late arrival of my husband due home 2 hours earlier as I watch the snow pile up. They remind me of worrying about teenage daughters on dates, broken budgets and bones. Of burnt meals, natural disasters, and the decline of a loved one’s health.

These wrinkles were earned from picking berries in the summer without SPF 50, from the gain, then loss, then gain again of weight that some body judged me on and there fore I judged myself on.

These arthritic joints are remnants of carrying a baby on one hip and a laundry basket on the other. Of running in the rain to catch the dog that got loose because the gate was left open. Of scrubbing floors, lifting turkey roasters with 22 lbs of turkey and stuffing from the oven to the counter.

This gray hair came early from genetics and frenetics!

Oh the stories this body of mine could tell. A person has but to ask and I will explain that I am still strong, limber, straight and smart because of this life I’ve led. One has only to look at my body to understand that life is hard but worth every second you live it. So stand as tall as you can, as proud as can be, and smile as wide as possible. This body of mine has a story to tell. It is my own personal best-seller and an interesting read. Best of all this book only ends when my story is done!

In honor of my parents, Bob and Kathy Morris. They have taught me that to live life wrinkle free is not to have lived an interesting life.

All of my love,

Brenda