Obituary for Mary Morris
Mary Louise (Woll) Morris of Pekin, IL passed away Friday, July 3, 2015 at OSF Richard L. Owens Hospice Home in Peoria, IL. Born January 21, 1935, in Pekin, Mary was the daughter of Frederick “Fritz” Woll and Helen Louise Helmig Woll. Mary graduated from PCHS in 1953 and attended Bradley University, where she studied fine art. Mary married Donald “Don” Leroy Morris on December 30, 1955 in Pekin. Mary was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Don, who died on December 18, 1984. Mary leaves behind one daughter, Debra (Tim) Yuhas of Richmond, VA; one son, Michael (Joy) Morris of Pekin; and one granddaughter, Chelsea Morris of Marquette Heights. She also leaves behind one sister, Patricia (Walter) Bauer, of Morton, IL; two nephews, Matthew (Josie) Bauer of Lake Charles, LA; Andrew (Heather) Bauer of Grays Lake, IL; and 5 great-nieces and nephews. Mary knew no stranger. Always, friendly and outgoing, Mary made friends everywhere she went. Even at work. Mary sold appliances for Sears Roebuck for 35 years. She started in the tiny catalog store on Court St, in Pekin, then moved to the store at Pekin Mall and finally to the main store along the riverfront in Peoria. Mary’s honesty and integrity won her many long-time customers and she rarely went anywhere in the Peoria-Pekin area without someone recognizing her. Many times they discovered the relationship started at Sears. But work was just a small part of Mary’s life. Those closest to Mary, knew her lovingly as the “M&M Gal” not only for her initials, but also for her love of the tiny chocolate candies. Yes, Mary was a self-acclaimed chocoholic, but you’d never know it from her tiny frame and figure which she had no trouble keeping with her active, social lifestyle. Mary loved being with friends and family and was constantly the source of love and laughter. Whether she was off to a movie, having coffee with “the gang” or traveling the world with her daughter, Mary truly never let grass grow under her feet. Staying in one place just wasn’t in her nature — except to read. Mary often went through 3-4 books a week and loved mysteries and action/adventure stories and movies. Not one to only read about others’ exploits, Mary and her daughter, Deb, made their own adventures on their annual mother-daughter excursions. It was nothing for the two of them to drive cross-country. The two covered the entire U.S., from Atlanta, GA (in the middle of a hurricane, no less) to Austin, TX, the Crazy Horse monument and Silver Springs, the Mall of America, Frankenmuth, MI and everywhere in between. Mary especially liked one vacation where she and Deb did a tour exploring the mountains and caves of Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee. Then add to that her travels abroad, including: England, Ireland, Germany, France, Greece, China and Russia. All you had to do was ask, and Mary would tell you story after story about her travels — especially Russia. She had a wonderful time in St. Petersburg and Moscow and would tell you everything you wanted to know. When she wasn’t reading or traveling, Mary was watching sports — any kind of sports she could find. She rarely missed a Cardinals game on TV or radio. She also loved the Chicago Bears, NASCAR, tennis, golf, and was a Peoria Rivermen season ticket holder for more than 15 years (though she would tell you she was really a Chicago Blackhawks fan. She watched every play-off game this year and cheered them all the way to the Stanley Cup). At Mary’s strong and very direct wishes, there will be no visitation or memorial. Mary chose to be cremated and Abts Mortuary in Pekin is handling the details. In lieu of flowers, Mary would prefer that her friends and family donate to the Illinois Cancer Care Center, the Illinois Heart Association or the OSF Richard L. Owens Hospice Home. Mary had a full and beautiful life and touched the hearts and minds of all who knew her. On Mary’s behalf, her family would like to thank her many devoted caregivers at OSF St. Francis and also the tremendous staff at OSF Richard L. Owens Hospice Home. Your gentle, loving care and advice helped us make Mary’s final days as joyous and comfortable as possible.
Read More
To plant a tree in memory of Mary Morris, visit the Tribute Store.
Loading...