Elsie Morris

On the morning of October 8, 2020, Elsie Fredricka (Enzi) Morris passed away peacefully at the home of her daughter in Manteca, California; she was 97 years old. Elsie was born on June 2, 1923, in North Dakota, to Karl and Sophie Enzi. She was one of eight children (Erna, Luella, Martha, Leona, Walter, Paul, and Albert) and the last of her siblings to pass away. On January 17, 1949, she married John Silveria (sp.) Morris who preceded her in death in 1994. They were married for 45 years and raised two children, Michael Morris and Patricia (Patrick) Eavenson, both of Manteca. She was blessed with four grandchildren: Michael Morris, Jr., Sonia Morris, and Melinda (Ian) Pacheco Patrick, all of Manteca, as well as Kara (Derek) Blankenship of Loma Rica. She leaves behind seven great-grandchildren:  Alex and Noah Simnit; Everett, Lela, and Elsie Patrick; and Dillon and Taylor Blankenship.

Raised on a farm outside of Bismarck, North Dakota, she completed her junior year of high school before embarking on a career as a telephone operator. She worked in Portland, Oregon as a ship-to-shore operator during WWII, before being transferred to the Sharpe Army Depot in Lathrop, California. She spent the remainder of her career at the Contel telephone company where she retired at the age of 59.

In her retirement years, Elsie loved to travel and especially enjoyed trips to the beach and the sound of the ocean. She was passionate about spending time with her family and very proud of her role as Gigi to her great-grandchildren, whom she affectionately referred to as her “littles.”

She loved to eat out and was an avid coffee drinker. She never passed a diner she didn’t want to stop at and may have missed her calling as a food critic. She is likely remembered as the woman who ordered “extra crispy bacon, dry toast, and hot coffee!” She could still be seen well into her nineties, walking every morning to Starbucks, to get some exercise and a cup of joe. She always tuned into her “stories” in the afternoon and loved a good tabloid. She was known for her spunk, quick wit, honesty, adventurous spirit, and generous heart. She was truly one of a kind and will be greatly missed by her family and friends.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Elsie Morris, please visit our floral store.