Dorothy J. Morris' Obituary
Dorothy (DJ) Burns Morris, born April 29, 1931 in Texarkana, Arkansas to Roland and
Alice Burns, passed away on April 14th after a long battle with vascular dementia, just a couple
weeks before her 93rd birthday in her home in Tacoma, Washington.
DJ spent her childhood surrounded by family and her cousins, and often recalled stories
of playing in the dirt with her mom’s snuff bottles that had morphed into cars. Growing up on a
farm she developed her lifelong passion for animals. At one point in her childhood, she even
had 17 cats and would spend hours brushing and petting them. It was at this time the foundation
of faith and family was born.
As an adult, DJ traveled with the military with her husband and children Denis,
Constance, Jane, and Michael. Throughout husbands’ military careers, she used these
moments and changes to teach her children to adapt to new experiences. As DJ’s children
grew, she settled into civilian life, where she began her career working at St. Joseph’s hospital
in the Accounts Department.
Once she retired, with her love for animals, DJ and her husband, Wayne, adopted and
rescued many dogs. Together, they loved and trained many dogs, and advocated for the ethical
and fair treatment of all animals. DJ loved nothing more than spending time with her family and
her dogs.
As she got older, she was faced with the death of her husband, Wayne and son Denis,
and the onset of her own dementia. Even though she lost much with her dementia, she never
forgot or lost the love for her children.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, each of her husbands: Conrad Sprague,
Earl Jenkins, and Wayne Morris, as well as her siblings Roland Burns, Frank Burns, and Frieda
McPeak, and son Denis Sprague. She is survived by her daughters Constance Klein, Jane
Kustok, and her youngest son Michael. She also leaves behind three grandchildren, Rebecca,
Christina, and Kelly, and her five great grandchildren Aaron, Mitchell, Colin, Hannah, and Jaden,
as well as her nieces Francis, Julia, and Mary, and nephew Daniel.
DJ frequently recalled her favorite Bible verse, taught to her by her mother: Ephesians
4:32 “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another just as God also forgave
you in Christ.” She is now free and has reunited with her loved ones.
“What a joyous day Mama, rest in peace!”
What’s your fondest memory of Dorothy?
What’s a lesson you learned from Dorothy?
Share a story where Dorothy's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Dorothy you’ll never forget.
How did Dorothy make you smile?
