Charlotte Augusta (Ellis) Morris, 81

Charlotte Augusta (Ellis) Morris was born in Whitefish on June 22, 1934, and passed away of natural causes on Jan. 30, 2016, at the Heritage Place in Kalispell, after a brief stay in the rehabilitation and long-term care centers.

Charlotte was born to Melvin LeRoy and Gladys Belle (Radabah) Ellis. She was the first child in this union (marriage) and the ninth child born to Gladys. Charlotte claimed to be an American due to her mixed heritage. She had four older half brothers, Henry LeRoy, Vernon Leland, Benjamin Leo and Bert Leo White, and four older half sisters, Esther Belle, Elizabeth Viola Marie, Rosa Lee and Carrie Evelyne White from Gladys’ first marriage to Verty Lee White. Her only younger sibling, Mary (Ellis) McIlhargy, was born to Melvin and Gladys in 1936.

Charlotte was born into a poor but very loving family, like most of the average families following the Great Depression. Melvin, Gladys, Charlotte and Mary lived in Whitefish; they were a very humble family who deeply believed in family. They didn’t have much, but what they had, they shared.

Charlotte attended grade school in Montana and Washington state. She attended junior and senior (through the tenth grade) in Whitefish. Charlotte was a fearless, assertive individual and always had a faithful dog at her side.

In 1950 she married, at the young age of 16, a local boy who soon was shipped off to Korea. Two children were born into this union, Thomas and Cheryl LaVern Herman. She later gave birth to her third child, Crystal Bell Loesch.

She remained in the Kalispell area and had five more children — three daughters, Kathleen Rose, Annie Laurie and Cindy Lew Agnew, and two sons, Roland LeRoy and Barry Lew Agnew. Charlotte then returned to the Troy area where her father lived and had her last two children, Jack Andre’ and Charlotte Ann Metzker. She later lived short term in southwestern Montana and Oregon, then returned to the Kalispell area.   

There she met, married and settled down with her long-term love John Gilbert Morris, a native of Kalispell who worked as a mechanic at Plum Creek Timber, and later as a self-employed contractor. John brought four young daughters into this union. Charlotte and John were married for 44 and a half years.

Charlotte was a spirited individual who did not hesitate to speak her mind. She loved to read, draw, knit/crochet, do crossword puzzles, swim, snowmobile, boat and share her time with her husband John. John in turned shared his life with her and took wonderful care of Charlotte following a moderately severe stroke. Her family will greatly miss her and her wit.

Charlotte had eight half brothers and sisters, one sister, 10 children, four stepchildren, 38 grandchildren, 51 great-grandchildren, and seven great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, four half brothers, two half sisters, one daughter, one great-grandchild, and one great-great-grandchild.

Her service will be at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 5, at the Columbia Falls Mortuary.  She will be cremated and will return to be in place at the family home in Columbia Falls.

Memorials may be sent to the Veterans Home in Columbia Falls.