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Ellen Elizabeth Ware Morrison

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Birth	:	24 Sep 1909 West Point, King William County, Virginia, USA
Death	:	17 Jan 2002 Newport News City, Virginia, USA
Burial	:	Oakwood Cemetery, Statesville, Iredell County, USA
Coordinate	:	35.7900009, -80.8767014
Description	:	NEWPORT NEWS — Ellen Ware Morrison, who did pioneering work at organizing blood drives in Hampton Roads for the American Red Cross, died Thursday. She was 92. Mrs. Morrison was admitted to Mary Immaculate Hospital on Monday and died there. She had been a resident of Riverside Regional Convalescent Center for the past year. She began her Red Cross work as a volunteer at Fort Eustis in 1928. After taking time off to have three children, she returned to work for the Newport News Chapter of the Red Cross in 1945, and quickly became executive director. When the Newport News chapter merged... Read More	NEWPORT NEWS — Ellen Ware Morrison, who did pioneering work at organizing blood drives in Hampton Roads for the American Red Cross, died Thursday. She was 92. Mrs. Morrison was admitted to Mary Immaculate Hospital on Monday and died there. She had been a resident of Riverside Regional Convalescent Center for the past year. She began her Red Cross work as a volunteer at Fort Eustis in 1928. After taking time off to have three children, she returned to work for the Newport News Chapter of the Red Cross in 1945, and quickly became executive director. When the Newport News chapter merged with the Hampton Chapter in 1966, she became executive director of the Hampton Roads Chapter. By the time she retired from the chapter in 1980, her commitment to securing blood donations for needy patients had laid the foundation for the success of the modern program -- while earning her the nickname, "Dracula." "She was willing to be called anything as long as she could collect blood for the people of this community," said Patricia Stern, retired manager of the Hampton Roads Chapter. Mrs. Stern was the executive director of the Hampton Chapter when it merged with Newport News and served as Mrs. Morrison's assistant executive director after the merger. Coincidentally, Thursday also saw the death of Thomas Hardy "Lolly" Wilson II, retired General District Court judge for Hampton, who was instrumental in the merger of the Hampton and Newport News chapters and served as first chairman of the Hampton Roads Chapter. "It has been a double blow for us," said Heather Livingston, executive director of the Hampton Roads Chapter. Paul J. Regal, executive director of the Mid-Atlantic Blood Region, remembers Mrs. Morrison's absolute dedication to her work. "She was tough -- sometimes there was no making her happy," quipped Regal, who could remember times the powerful judge and chapter chairman, Mr. Wilson, would bring the feisty Mrs. Morrison flowers to smooth over differences. Mrs. Morrison held her first blood drive on Oct. 13, 1949. Her goal was 100 pints and the drive collected 118. At a time when blood had a short shelf life, Mrs. Morrison had a hands-on approach to blood collecting, according to Mrs. Stern. When the hospital called with a need, Mrs. Morrison went to her records, found a suitable donor, called the donor and arranged to get them to the collection site. She particularly cultivated shipyard and Navy personnel as donors. "They were very familiar with her voice and knew why she was calling," said Mrs. Stern. Born on Sept. 24, 1909 in West Point, she was raised in Gloucester County Courthouse. She had been a Peninsula resident since 1925. She was a long time member of the former Parkview Presbyterian Church and later attended the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Hampton. Mrs. Morrison was preceded in death by her husband, William Luther Morrison, her parents, Walter Hayes Ware and Lida Hudson Ware, and three sisters. Survivors include her children, Ann Morrison Grasty of Newport News, William H. Morrison and his wife, Barbara, of Lake Waccamaw, N.C., and W. Ware Morrison and his wife, Nancy, of Virginia Beach; four grandchildren, Mary Butler, Laura Quinn, Nina Kelly Morrison and Barton Morrison; four great-grandchildren, T.J. and Steven Barnhill and Patrick and Katie Quinn; and many nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m. tonight at Peninsula Funeral Home. A funeral service will be conducted at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the funeral home, officiated by the Rev. Donald Ambrose. Burial will be in Sunny Slope Cemetery in West Point. Memorial donations may be made to the American Red Cross, Hampton Roads Chapter, 4915 W. Mercury Blvd., Newport News, VA 23605.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Ellen Elizabeth Ware Morrison's memorial?
Ellen Elizabeth Ware Morrison's memorial is located at: Oakwood Cemetery, Statesville, Iredell County, USA.
When did Ellen Elizabeth Ware Morrison death?
Ellen Elizabeth Ware Morrison death on 17 Jan 2002 in Newport News City, Virginia, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Ellen Elizabeth Ware Morrison's memorial?
Latitude: 35.7900009
Longitude: -80.8767014

Family Members:

Parent

Walter Hayes Ware

(1879 - 1937)

Lida Hudson Ware

(1881 - 1964)

Spouse

William Luther “Bill” Morrison

(1908 - 1988)

Siblings

Alva Ware Boswell

(1911 - 1983)

Lida Ruth Hogg

(1917 - 1994)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Oakwood Cemetery
Statesville, Iredell County, USA
Coordinate: 35.7900009, -80.8767014

2. Allison Cemetery
Statesville, Iredell County, USA
Coordinate: 35.7975691, -80.8810789

3. Green Street Cemetery
Statesville, Iredell County, USA
Coordinate: 35.7977028, -80.8886810

4. Old Fourth Creek Cemetery
Statesville, Iredell County, USA
Coordinate: 35.7855988, -80.8910980

5. Saint Pauls Lutheran Church Cemetery
Statesville, Iredell County, USA
Coordinate: 35.7728300, -80.8594800

6. Belmont Cemetery
Statesville, Iredell County, USA
Coordinate: 35.7733002, -80.8491974

7. Calvary Baptist Church Cemetery
Statesville, Iredell County, USA
Coordinate: 35.7604100, -80.8800100

8. Fairview Baptist Church Cemetery
Statesville, Iredell County, USA
Coordinate: 35.8220430, -80.8794760

9. Davidsonville Baptist Church Cemetery
Statesville, Iredell County, USA
Coordinate: 35.8261360, -80.8745110

10. St. Mark's Baptist Church Cemetery
Statesville, Iredell County, USA
Coordinate: 35.8107660, -80.9139180

11. Northmont Baptist Church Cemetery
Statesville, Iredell County, USA
Coordinate: 35.8091673, -80.9163115

12. Connellys Chapel Cemetery
Statesville, Iredell County, USA
Coordinate: 35.8125040, -80.9181590

13. Scroggs Cemetery
Statesville, Iredell County, USA
Coordinate: 35.7445337, -80.8902412

14. Iredell Memorial Gardens
Statesville, Iredell County, USA
Coordinate: 35.7402600, -80.8989000

15. Rose Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery
Statesville, Iredell County, USA
Coordinate: 35.8462650, -80.8630150

16. Oakdale Baptist Church Cemetery
Statesville, Iredell County, USA
Coordinate: 35.8080570, -80.8093710

17. Abilene Church of Christ Cemetery
Statesville, Iredell County, USA
Coordinate: 35.8052390, -80.8055170

18. New Center Church Cemetery
Statesville, Iredell County, USA
Coordinate: 35.7613906, -80.9452219

19. Liberty Baptist Church Cemetery
Statesville, Iredell County, USA
Coordinate: 35.8398340, -80.9253510

20. Barium Springs Cemetery
Barium Springs, Iredell County, USA
Coordinate: 35.7278140, -80.8951100

21. South River Baptist Church Cemetery
Statesville, Iredell County, USA
Coordinate: 35.8502500, -80.9064500

22. Saint Martins Cemetery
Troutman, Iredell County, USA
Coordinate: 35.7335100, -80.9183400

23. Grace Alliance Fellowship Cemetery
Statesville, Iredell County, USA
Coordinate: 35.8087980, -80.7954830

24. Crestview Baptist Church Cemetery
Statesville, Iredell County, USA
Coordinate: 35.7323798, -80.8271942