Willie Dale Morris

Willie Dale Morris, 89, of Alvord, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, September 28, 2022, surrounded by his grandchildren, in Bridgeport.

Funeral is 10:00 a.m. Friday, October 7, 2022 at Hawkins Funeral Home Chapel in Decatur with burial Oaklawn Cemetery. Family will receive friends 6-8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

Rev. Bill Cleveland will officiate. Pallbearers include Michael Morris, Jacob Morris, Justin Taylor, Maceo Pierson, Thomas Taylor, and Christopher Morris.

Dale was firstborn of three sons to Willie B and Dorothy (Roberts) Morris on April 29, 1933, in Rosston, Texas. He fondly recalled yodeling outside the general store in Rosston as a small child, before he attended school and later worked on his family’s dairy in Decatur, Texas. Just before his senior year in high school, his family moved to Alvord. While pitching a softball game in 1951, he met and fell in love with the love of his life, Melvadean Western; they began their life together on August 17, 1951, at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Decatur. He loved to tease her about having signed her report cards during her senior year, for the 69 years and 11 months of their marriage before she passed, and he remained devoted to her for the rest of his life. Together, they raised three sons, Rickie Dale, Russell Don, and Darrell Ray, and two grandchildren, Michael Don and Amber Dawn. He was a Sunday school teacher, a longstanding member of First Baptist Church in Alvord, and served as President of the Alvord ISD school board.

Dale was a truck driver before being drafted into the United States Army in 1954; He served as a Corporal in Battery A, 41st AAA Gun Battalion at Fort Totten, in Queens, NY, until his honorable discharge and transfer to the United States Army Reserve in 1956. He was honorably discharged from the USAR, ranked SP4, in 1962. Dale was awarded National Defense Service Medal and Good Conduct Medal during his service. He worked as an aircraft assembler at Bell Helicopter-Textron in Hurst, Texas, until his retirement in May, 1996, after 39 years. Dale planned and built his family’s home in Alvord from the ground up in 1975, where he raised honey bees and bird dogs as hobbies; he loved carrying on and passing down his family’s tradition of the annual trip to Nebraska for pheasant hunting. He was well known for his sharp aim and affinity for pranks and practical jokes, but he never passed a stranger having car trouble on the highway without stopping to help, oftentimes bringing them home for a meal while they waited for a family member or tow truck to arrive.

Dale was preceded in death by his parents, beloved wife, all three sons, Russell Don, Darrell Ray, and Rickie Dale Morris, and one brother, James Leroy Morris.

Those left behind to cherish his memory are his brother Jack Darwin Morris and wife Delores, sister in law Clydena Morris; caregiver and daughter in law Teresa Pewitt; 6 grandchildren: Michael Morris and wife Tia, Amber Morris, Robyn Taylor and husband Justin, Tanya Morris, Danielle Pierson and husband Maceo, and Jacob Morris; 13 great-grandchildren, Colby, James, Gavin, Michaela, Austin, Chloë, Cadence, Jim Russell, Saige, Bailey, Christopher, Coy, and Thomas; 2 great-great-grandchildren, Aiden and Tovah; nieces and nephews, extended family and many who loved and respected him.