Elizabeth Easter Morris of Hampton, Virginia left this world Thursday, November 10, 2022, at the age of 84.  She was beloved by her family and countless friends who will miss her dearly.

Elizabeth lived a full life and was a wonderful person throughout.  She was born in Thomasville, North Carolina in 1938. Her family then moved to Wilson, NC where she was raised with her sisters Patricia (Dameron of Wilkesboro) and Carlotta (Baker, who passed before Elizabeth), and her brothers Michael (Easter of Rocky Mount) and Tim (Easter of Wilson). Elizabeth’s mother, Marie Easter died in September of this year at the age of 99. Their relationship was a strong bond of mother-daughter and friendship.  Her father, Dolan Easter passed away in 1989.

Back in Wilson, Elizabeth fell in love with Grant C. Morris (“GC”) and the two were married in 1957.  In the 1950’s they moved to Hampton to pursue a life on their own. In 1966 they built their home on Goldboro Drive where they raised their sons Calvin and Jerry and lived until the end of their lives.  GC was a Boilermaker and traveled away from home leaving Elizabeth to take care of the family in every other way – a job from which she never retired.

Their 64-year marriage was as passionate in private as it was unified and strong in public.  GC and Elizbeth were lifetime sweethearts and full partners in everything they did. They depended upon one another right up until the end.

Elizabeth and GC lived on Goldsboro Drive for 56 years and while the neighborhood may have changed, they never did.  Everyone was welcomed to their home to “sit and stay awhile” –  Neighbors, Friends, Friends of their sons, and Friends of their friends.  They loved every minute of every visit and if Elizabeth had an opportunity to feed you something, it made her even happier, and of course as did the person she was feeding!

Elizabeth was an amazing mother and grandmother.  Her sons were as devoted to her as she was to them.

Elizabeth and GC were tried in strength and faith when they nearly lost their son Calvin to an accident at a young age and then, tragically, lost Jerry and his then-expecting fiancé, Gina Lombardo, in an accident in 2000.  They were more than heartbroken.  Elizabeth’s love for her sons – in the presence and memory – never dulled.  

In 2000 after Jerry passed, a close bond began with Drina Northam and her husband Len Bennett who started as friends and ended as family.  Elizabeth and GC’s family grew as Drina became a daughter to Elizabeth and sister to Calvin, a love carried to the end.

In 2002, Elizabeth celebrated Calvin’s wedding to Shannon Morris. As the Morris family grew, they blessed Elizabeth with a Granddaughter, Hollie, who turned 17 this year. Hollie has grown to become a beautiful young woman who is passionate about horses, winning numerous awards and ribbons for her riding skills. Elizabeth was proud of all Hollie has accomplished.

In 2007 and 2011, Elizabeth’s family continued to grow as Drina and Len blessed her with grandsons, Paul and Leo (now 15 and 11). She and GC helped to raise them to become the loving young men they are today.  They gardened, cooked, and read together, with Elizabeth watching their concerts and baseball games as a proud grandmother. They loved her dearly and are heartbroken.

Elizabeth had numerous friends that loved her dearly. One of Elizabeth’s most special bonds was with her best friend, Francis Lucido, who lived across the street and always cared for Elizabeth and her family as her own.  In the beginning, they shared in all the things that young people would do, and then depended on one another as time went on. We could only dream of having as close a friendship as shared by Elizabeth and Francis.

Elizabeth had a lot of family who she loved dearly and leaves behind: son Calvin and wife Shannon Morris with granddaughter Hollie, “daughter” Drina Northam and husband Len Bennett with grandsons Paul and Leo, her sister, Patricia Dameron, her brothers and their wives, Timothy and Ramona Easter, Mike and Deborah Easter, along with her many nieces and nephews including Marchallia Lane, Stacia Pfizenmayer, Kenny Easter, Josh Easter, Bryan Pridgen, and Wesley Pridgen.  She is preceded in death by her Husband GC and son Jerry Morris, her father and mother Doland and Marie Easter, and her sister Carlotta Baker.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, November 17 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at Peninsula Funeral Home.  A funeral service will be held at the funeral home on Friday, November 18, at 10:00 a.m., with burial to follow at Peninsula Memorial Park. The family asks you join them for a celebration of Elizabeth’s life at the James River Country Club, 1500 Country Club Rd, Newport News.  

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made on behalf of Elizabeth to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital,
262 Danny Thomas Pl, Memphis, TN 38105 (www.stjude.org/).  

Arrangements are under the care of Peninsula Funeral Home, 11144 Warwick Blvd., Newport News, VA 23601.