Marilyn Webb Morris

Marilyn Webb Morris went to be with the Lord on Sunday, November 11, 2018 from complications due to illness and Alzheimer’s disease.

Marilyn was born on November 14, 1932 in Staten Island, New York, to the late John and Lester Webb.

Marilyn is survived by her two daughters, Cynthia Morris Watson (Cindy) and husband Bill, of Greenville, NC, Jacqueline Leigh Owen (Jacquie) and husband Dan, of Hope Mills; three cherished grandchildren, Caroline Watson Brady and husband Josh of Raleigh, NC, Tadd Watson and wife, Mary, of Palmyra, VA, Natalie Celeste  Willing and husband, Tyler, of Norcross, GA, and four great grandchildren.

She was predeceased by the love of her life for 63 years, Joe H. Morris, her parents, brothers, J.C. Webb, Jr. and James T. Webb, and three infant children.

Marilyn had two passions in life-teaching and music. God blessed Marilyn with a gifted, beautiful soprano voice at an early age. She was performing solos by the age of 13 when she began studying voice with her beloved teacher, Mrs. Thordis Emile. She received her Bachelor’s degree in English and Elementary Education from Hunter College, New York City, where she was a member of the Hunter College Choir. Marilyn and Joe were married in 1954 after a long distance courtship for four years while Joe was in the Air Force. Upon his acceptance to law school at Wake Forest, they moved to Winston-Salem, NC where she tutored members of the football team in English.

 Joe’s law practice brought them to Fayetteville, NC, where Marilyn was an elementary and homebound teacher with Cumberland County Schools for 23 years.

With a strong faith in God, love for teaching, and her musical talent, Marilyn saved her soul from the deep grief of losing three infants at birth. She became a well –known soprano soloist in the Fayetteville community. A member of the Cumberland Chorale under the direction of Harlan Duenow, she was the soprano soloist in Handel’s Messiah for several years. She was a member of the Hay St. United Methodist Church Chancel Choir, First Presbyterian Church Choir, St. John’s Episcopal Church Chancel Choir paid soloist and St. John’s Children’s Junior Choir Director.

She was President of the Chaminade Music Club, which provided scholarship support to music majors at Methodist College and President of the Fayetteville Symphony Board. She performed many vocal programs for various civic groups and churches.  

Marilyn’s voice landed her many leading soprano roles in musical productions for the Cape Fear Little Theatre’s early beginnings, the Fort Bragg Playhouse, and Bordeaux Dinner Theatre, in Brigadoon, Carousel, Camelot,  and Cinderella, to name a few.

She was a member of the Colonel Robert Rowan Chapter of the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution and a trained volunteer counselor for the Contact Crisis Hotline of Fayetteville.

She loved her children and was “Gammy” to her grandchildren. She loved to cook, read from her collection of cookbooks, and was a crossword puzzle dynamo. She passed down her love of the Arts to her daughters. Throughout her decline with dementia, she never lost her uncanny wit and stellar vocabulary.

Her family owes gratitude to the staff at Heritage Place for her wonderful care the past three years.

A memorial service will be held at Hay Street United Methodist Church on Wednesday, November 14, 2018 at 11:00 am with visitation following the service in the sanctuary. Internment will follow at Caledonia United Methodist Church cemetery in Laurinburg, NC.

Flowers are welcomed. Memorial gifts to the Alzheimer’s Association, National Headquarters, 225 N. Michigan Ave, FL. 17, Chicago, IL 60601

Arrangements by Jernigan-Warren Funeral Home.  

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