Everette Morris

Everette M. Dick Morris departed this life on May 1, 2010, at the age of 85. He was born October 15, 1924, in Stuart, Oklahoma, to Hubert and Daisy Wethers Morris.

Dick and his family left Oklahoma in the Dust Bowl days and settled in Carlsbad. He was the youngest of three brothers, and a 10th grader in December, 1940. His oldest brother, Jeff, joined the 200th Coast Artillery antiaircraft division of the New Mexico National Guard. Dick was bored with school and ineligible to join because of his age but managed to convince a local postmaster to pull some strings. A month later the 16 year old national guardsman and about 150 of Carlsbads Battery F found themselves on a troop train headed for Fort Bliss in El Paso. Almost 3 months before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, their ship was bound for Manila. Dick survived the ordeal known as the Bataan Death March. After that march he was sent to a Manila POW camp and finally Kobe, Japan where he spent the rest of the war.

For his service Dick was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the POW Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation with two olcs, the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, the WWII Victory Medal, the Honorable Service Lapel Pin, and the American Serivce Medal.

In December 1945, he married a hometown girl, Bennie Barberia.

Prior to moving to Hobbs and opening LaFiesta Restaurant, Dick and Bennie owned and operated the Morris Brothers Cafe with his brother C. N. Bill Morris.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his two brothers.

Dick is survived by his wife of 64 years, Bennie daughter Rita Benny Baldwin of Hobbs sons Keith Helene of Hobbs, Max of Monument, Colorado, Charles of Monument, Colorado, Jody of Houston, Texas, Bobby Karen of Monument, Colorado and Shawn Mary of Monument, Colorado 17 grandchildren and 26 greatgrandchildren.

Funeral Mass will be 10:00 a.m. on Friday, May 7, at St. Helenas Catholic Church with Fr. Joseph Pacquing offciating. A rosary service will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 6 at Chapel of Hope. Burial will be at the Carlsbad Cemetery, 1506 Boyd Dr. at 3:00 p.m. the same day.

Visitation

Chapel of Hope
3321 N. Dal Paso
Hobbs, NM  88240
Thursday, May 6, 2010
8 a.m. 8 p.m. Thursday

Service

Funeral Mass

St. Helena Catholic Church
100 East Bender
Hobbs, NM  88240
Friday, May 7, 2010
10 a.m. Friday

Rosary

Chapel of Hope
3321 N. Dal Paso St.
Hobbs, NM  88240
Thursday, May 6, 2010
6 p.m. Thursday

Cemetery

Carlsbad Cemetery
1506 Boyd Drive
Carlsbad, NM  88220