Mrs. Frances Hogue Morris' Obituary
Mrs. Frances Hogue Morris, age 100 of Austell passed away June 29, 2013. She was preceded in death by her husband Ralph J. Morris and son Stuart Morris. Frances is survived by her children Jimmy Morris of Mableton, Marlene Aldridge of Austell, Nicky Morris of Cedartown and daughter-in-law Linda Morris of Madison, 10 Grandchildren and 11 Great Grandchildren. Funeral Services will be held Monday, 11:00 AM at Mt. Harmony Baptist Church with Dr. Randal Whitten officiating. Interment will follow at Mt. Harmony Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends Sunday from 1:00-4:00 PM at Davis- Struempf Funeral Home. www.davisstruempf.com
My Mother , Francis "Hogue" Morris.
September 25, 1912 to June 29, 2013
100 years and 9 months
My mother was born to Frank and Ella Mae Hogue September
25,1912. The first of nine children to Papa and Mama Hogue. Papa
Hogue's first wife had died and he had 6 children from that
marriage,15 children in all.
Mama married Ralph J. Morris in 1934 and they had 4 children,
Jimmy 1935, Marlene 1937, Nicky 1939, and Stuart 1940.
I will attempt to tell a little biography from some of the stories
she told me..
Mama, being the oldest of the nine children, learned, at an early
age, how to cook, sew and take care of babies and in general, how to
run a family. When we were kids she would make shirts for us and patch
clothes until they were almost all patches.
Mama was a strong woman, physically, mentally, morally, and in
faith. She was raised a Christian, lived a Christian life, and raised her
family in a Christian manner. She was active in her church and taught
a Sunday school class for years. When we were kids she always helped
with vacation bible school. I don't now if you remember or not but we
used to have a lot of revival meetings and it was tradition for the church
preacher and the revival preacher to eat at different homes each day. I
remember Mama fixing many fried chicken dinners, and if we could not
catch a chicken, Mama would take a 22 rifle and make a head shot , she
sure could shoot that rifle.
A Fish story, When Mama was a little girl living on her Grandmother's
farm in Paulding County, she loved to fish the creek that ran thru the farm.
While fishing one day, a neighbor named Mr. Allgood, gave her a real fish
hook. She was so proud of that fish hook she told the story of it up until
her last years.
Another story she loved to tell was seeing her first airplane. She was
inside the house and her brother Elmer was outside and heard the plane
coming and shouted for everyone to come outside. It was a sight that really
thrilled them, they never forgot it.
Mama's favorite story, Mama's Daddy was gone most of the time installing
cotton gins for Continental Gin Co. Mama Hogue and the family were stranded
back in the hills of Paulding County. Papa Hogue bought them a 1925 Model
T Ford. Mama was 12 years old and learned to drive that car real quick. She
said that car set them free as they could go to church in Yorkville, go to town
in Rockmart, and also drive it to school. Her favorite story was when they loaded
up the family and she drove to Atlanta to visit relatives. The first paved road was
when they crossed the river into Fulton County.
Mama moved to Atlanta to live with friends of the family when she was 15,
and fibbed about her age and got a job with W.T. Grands Music Co. as a sales
clerk. She earned 10 cents an hour and she worked 10 hours a day, 6 days a
week, and they didn't pay overtime. For lunch she would eat a hot dog for 5 cents
and a Coke for 5 cents. She said she loved the job because everyone was so good
to each other and every morning someone would play the piano and they would
all sing.
Mama was a teenager before she ever heard a radio and then people would gather
at someone's house or at a store that had one to listen.
Her first phone was when we got one in 1951, it was a 4 party line, sure was fun
to listen to other peoples calls.
I don't know if Mama had Irish blood in her or not, but she sure loved the Irish
and Irish music. I can hear her singing, "When Irish eyes are smiling" and Tura-
Lura-Lural.
She thought the Irish were the happiest people on earth.
Mama lived thru two World Wars ,The Korean war ,The Viet Nam war and several
others and the great depression, but was always optimistic about the future, always
had that smile and never showed any fear.
My daddy was drafted into the Army in WW 2 and sent to Europe, leaving my
Mama with 4 children, to my knowledge Mama never showed any sign of fear but
supported the war effort by doing volunteer work for the Red Cross and recycling
everything possible. Not only my mother, but all the Mothers, sisters and wives of
the men who went off to that war was just as brave and courageous as any soldier .
They all pulled together to help each other and their country.
During the war it was almost impossible to buy anything, especially tires , and
it seemed like every time we went off we had a flat. Mama had the tools and the know
how to fix a flat. I don't mean put on a spare, I mean actually break it down and fix the
tire and pump it up with a hand pump.
Mama knew a lot of songs and sayings, too numerous to mention and she loved
to sing, especially while doing doing housework or washing dishes, like "Heavenly
Sunshine" comes to mind.
I will end this by quoting my favorite of her sayings:
Ain't no need to whine
cause there's no fish on the line
Just bait your hook and keep on trying
Never give up
If you quit you lose
Never give up.
Thank you, Nicky Morris
What’s your fondest memory of Frances ?
What’s a lesson you learned from Frances ?
Share a story where Frances 's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Frances you’ll never forget.
How did Frances make you smile?
