Paul Morris

Paul W. Morris, 87, born April 18, 1923 in Union, SC to the late William E. and Beatrice Nalley Morris, went home to be with the Lord on Friday, January 7, 2011. He has already had a joyful reunion with his beloved wife of 59 years, the late Gwendolyn Leonhardt Morris. His was also predeceased by a daughter, Teri Morris Burnette and a brother, Robert T. Morris. Mr. Morris is survived by his son, Scott W. Morris and his wife Kathy of Rock Hill; his daughter, Gwendolyn (Lyn) and her husband Shannon Lozynski of Spartanburg; his granddaughter, Cynthia Burnette Riedinger and her husband Eric of Charlotte, NC; great- grandchildren Hailey, Joseph, and William Riedinger; a brother, Carl W. Morris and his wife June of Boiling Springs; a sister, Frances M. Bates of N. Augusta, SC; a sister-in-law, Betty Leonhardt Eubanks of Durham, NC; and several nieces and nephews. At the age of 17, Mr. Morris left for active duty with the Army National Guard as a member of Company E, 118th Infantry Regiment, 30th Division, where he served until 1942 when he entered the Army Air Corps. He served in Europe in the 8th Air Force where he flew B-17's during WWII. He was employed by Hall & Co., in Spartanburg, as a Sales Rep. from 1947-1954; an employee of Rheem Mfg. Co. as a Sales Rep. and Marketing Manager from 1954-1985. He was a member of Trinity UMC since 1950 where he taught the Hardin-Bethea Sunday School Class for 37 consecutive years until the class was renamed in his honor in 2005. Paul was a former member of the VFW; a member and past Commander of the American Legion Post #28 for over 65 years. He was a member of the Country Club of Spartanburg since 1955; a former member of United Commercial Travelers (UCT 323); a life member of Bethel Lodge 112, AFM (Masons), Woodruff, SC; and a member of Scottish Rite bodies in Spartanburg since 1948. Mr. Morris served in the Air Force Reserve, 9th AF Headquarters, Sumter, SC, Shaw AFB and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1978. He lived in Duncan Park since September 1949, was considered a Bible scholar; was the past President of the Methodist Men at Trinity; was a certified Lay Speaker in the Methodist Church. Also, he was a member of the Air Force Association; a Boy Scout Leader for Troop 19; and commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel in 2005. Visitation will be 6:00-8:00 p.m. Saturday, January 8, 2011 at Floyd's Greenlawn Chapel. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, January 9, 2011 at Trinity United Methodist Church, conducted by the Rev. Steve A. Holler and the Rev. A. Mickey Fisher, Honorary Escort will be the Paul W. Morris Sunday School Class. Burial, with Military Honors by American Legion Post #28 Honor Guard, will be in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens following the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Shriner's Hospital For Children, 950 West Faris Road, Greenville, SC 29605 or Trinity United Methodist Church, 626 Norwood Street, Spartanburg, SC 29302. The family will be at the residence. Floyd's Greenlawn Chapel To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Paul W. Morris please visit our Sympathy Store.