Roll Call Tribute

Ramsey Funeral Home & Crematorium obituary
5600 Williams Dr.
Georgetown, Texas 78633
Phone: 512-869-7775
Fax: 512-869-7779

James H Morris III
August 29, 1928 - October 6, 2019

James Hervey Morris III

Jim, or “Papa” as he was affectionately known by all his grandchildren was born in Clarendon, Texas, August 29, 1928. He passed into the presence of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on October 6, 2019 in Georgetown, Texas. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Marjory Lou Morris, and his son, Charles Daniel Morris. He is survived by his present wife of 33 years, Joanne Morris, his son, James Hervey Morris IV and his wife Madelaine, his daughter, Marjory Lou Babb and her husband Keith, his stepdaughter Cherie Jenkins and her husband Mark, his stepson Kevin Blair and his wife Keri, his stepson Scott Blair and partner Sean Santoya, his grandsons, James Hervey Morris V “Bo”, Christopher Brent Bettes, “Brent”, Troy Douglas Madeley and his wife Lacey, Michael Andrew Madeley, Carter Jenkins, Chad Blair, Kyle Blair, his granddaughters Charles Jordan Morris “Jordan”, Katherine Faith Gautreaux and her husband Andre, Elizabeth “Ellie” Blair, Caytie Jenkins, Emeri Milam, 4 great-grandsons, 1 great-granddaughter and Amy Pirkle, his beloved caregiver.

Jim graduated from Memphis High School in Memphis, Texas in 1945, and enrolled in Texas A&M College at age 16. He was in the Corps of Cadets, numbering 1500 at the time with no civilians. They were all in the infantry then, as that’s all there was. After three branches were started, he elected “B” Troop Calvary and went with the crossed sabers. He graduated with a Bachelor of Economics in 1949. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Armor Division of the U.S. Army, and Honorably Discharged on August 5, 1953.

While in college at Texas A&M, Jim’s heart was captured by a Texas University beauty, Marjorie Lou Hogan, and they eloped his senior year, which caused his new mother-in-law to refer to him as her “son-of-a-bitch in-law.” Jim and Marjorie had 3 children: Jim, Lou and Charles. Marjorie preceded Jim in death in 1985.

Following graduation from Texas A&M, Jim founded Morris Higgins insurance agency in Amarillo, Texas and was a rancher / cowboy. After several years in the insurance business, he obtained his CLU (College of Life Underwriters). He worked successfully for many years prior to retirement.

In 1986, Jim’s heart was captured again by the stunning former “Miss Kansas”, Joanne Blair. They were married in 1986 in Amarillo Texas, and later moved to Sun City in Georgetown, Texas where they made many happy memories with children, grandchildren and friends.

Jim lived bigger than life. He was a fighter from the day he was born until God took him home. He has been described as a “romantic cowboy”, as he wrote poetry reminiscent of the Western dream. He was a hunter, fisherman, and taught all his kids and grandkids to load a gun and bait a hook.

Jim was a member of the Range Riders of Amarillo, The Great Cowboy Poets and the Fightin’ Texas Aggies Class of ’49.

The Funeral service will be held on Thursday, October 10, 2019 at Ramsey Funeral Home, 5600 Williams Drive, Georgetown, Texas 78633. Viewing will be at 1:00 and memorial service at 2:00. Graveside ceremony will follow at IOOF Cemetery, 701 Smith Creek Road, near Southwestern University in Georgetown.

Pall Bearers are Kevin Blair, Chad Blair, Kyle Blair, Mark Jenkins, Carter Jenkins and James Hervey Morris V “Bo”.

Donations can be sent to Texas Aggie Corps of Cadets Association or The Parkinson’s Foundation.

Absent from the body, present with the Lord.

Softly call the muster,
Let comrade answer, “Here!”
Their spirits hover ‘round us:
As if to bring us cheer!
Mark them "present" in our hearts,
We’ll meet some other day.
There is no Death, but Life Eterne
For heroes such as they!

You may share a message or memory in the online memorial guestbook at www.RamseyFuneral.com.





TEXAS A&M CLASS OF '49

In the spring of 1945
When I was sweet sixteen
I came to the Aggie campus
Which I had never seen

World War II was in its fury,
And most of us well knew
That when we turned age 18
We might not make it through.

The Corps was about 1,500;
There were no civilians then.
We were all that were left in Texas
Of able-bodied men.

We all were in the infantry.
At that time that's all there was.
Dorm 4, 5th Company, Fish stripes
And a haircut that was fuzz.

"Okay, Frogs, let's see you hit a brace.
And tonight out in the hall
You best win
The wiener race."

Very soon I found out
How low a Frog could be,
Lower than whale droppings
Out in the deepest sea.

Gun wadding, sky and bullneck
Were eaten in square meals.
While we learned about our campus
From upper classmen and big wheels.

Barber pies, drown-outs and screw sticks
Were the ways that we could rack
The wet heads and the juniors
Who'd been pounding on our back.

Grab pooch there freshman;
Stand and take it like a man.
You have goofed off all this week,
And I have my board in hand."

They called us the "kiddie corps,"
We were so young and green.
Our football team was skimpy;
A winning game was seldom seen.

Our band would win the half time,
And the rest of us would say
"Let's go out to Uncle Ed's
And drink our cares away."

We soaked labels off the beer bottles
With our wallets thrown up high.
We stuck them on the ceiling;
Many's the one that I let fly.

There were no cars on campus.
We hitchhiked everywhere.
Back 300 in the line,
We always made it there.

Now we started service branches,
We could choose for which to labor.
I elected "B" troop cavalry
And went with the cross saber.

We drowned out the artillery,
Infantry, band and air crappers.
The secret was the steam tunnels
Where we led our raiding sappers.

Think of how much fun we had
And didn't spend a dime,
Because few of us had money
But knew how to spend our time.

Now I have guarded bonfires
And helped build quite a few;
Lost my handle at fish lake,
Proud of being black and blue.

I have painted tU's campus,
Walked rams off many days.
Round and round the old bull ring,
Just passing through a phase.

Just before we were drafted
Germany flew its white flag.
We dropped the bomb on the rising sun;
They too dropped their rag.

Our wounded vets were coming home
In the uniforms they had worn--
With arms and legs and bodies
Lost or badly torn.

Many valiant Aggie boys
Gave all in World Wars I and II.
Then more were lost in Korea
And lots in Vietnam too.

Our class of '49 is the greatest.
We are super guys.
We shall share this time with brothers,
And talk and laugh about our lives.

We are all successful
Above our wildest dreams.
But what else can you expect
From a school that's "creme de la creme."

I love all you survivors and
The ones who have passed on.
When silver taps is played for us,
We'll march to heaven at break of dawn.

Jim Morris Class of '49