In the early morning hours of February 9th, 2025, Gloria Linder Barton Morris (97) passed into the waiting arms of her Savior who finally called her home, a difficult crossing for all who loved her. Gloria was born in Atlanta, Georgia at Georgia Baptist Hospital on August 18, 1927. She was the precious first-born child of Julius Jackson Barton and Mary Craft Linder Barton. A few years later, her brother, Jack, was born, completing the household.
Gloria grew up in Hartwell, GA and was raised in an industrious, hard-working, musical and literary family. Her grandfather, Fred Linder, started and managed the Hart County Telephone Company along with his sons, and the family's "big house' was bustling day and night with their comings and goings. Gloria's mother, Mary, was an accomplished pianist with her heart and head always in her music. In life, Gloria took on the very best attributes of her family and pursued her loves of literature and music and, later on, sports. It didn't take long for her to discover she was quite the natural athlete, excelling in golf, tennis and swimming.
Gloria graduated from Georgia College of Women in Milledgeville, GA in 1947 and taught High School English before working as a librarian at Georgia Institute of Technology. It was there that she caught the eye of Otto Marucci Morris, Jr., a chemical engineering major, from Manasquan, New Jersey. They married in 1950. Their son, Bobby, was born in 1951 and the family of three moved to the idyllic town of Aiken, SC where Otto began his lifelong career with Dupont at the Savannah River Plant in Jackson, SC. Daughter, Keith, was born in 1954 and life for the Morrises really took off. When Otto headed to work and the children headed for school, Gloria hit the golf courses and soon became a consistent local champion. Family vacations centered around either golf tournaments and courses throughout the world, or fishing the streams and rivers of the U.S, especially in North Carolina, a nod to Otto's favorite way to unwind. Gloria and Otto were married for 56 years when he passed away in 2006.
Gloria served her community in many ways and was always involved in her children's educations, sports and friends, and graciously entertained Otto's coworkers and their wives. She was a member of the Board of Directors of Lintel Corporation and the Women's Southern Golf Association as well as past President of the Women's Carolina's Golf Association. She was the Club Champion of Houndslake Golf Club three times, and a member of Palmetto Golf Club in Aiken, SC. Saint John's United Methodist Church held a very special place in her heart as it was there that she and her family came to know God. She especially enjoyed her "Backsliders"
Sunday school class.
Gloria gave life her all, every minute. Whether as a beloved wife, mother, friend, grandmother, great-grandmother or mother-in-law, she was determined to have strong, loyal, and loving relationships filled with humor, instruction, education and friendly competition, usually involving spare change. In all the world there was not a brighter smile or a bluer twinkle in an eye. Her smile changed everything and usually ensured she got her way. And no one could argue with that.
Gloria was predeceased by her grandparents, Fred Postelle Linder and Nelle Craft Linder; parents, Julius Jackson Barton and Mary Craft Linder Barton; brother, Jack Linder Barton; husband, Otto Marucci Morris, Jr. She is survived by her son, Dr. Robert (Bob) Jackson Morris and his wife, Patricia Kininmonth Morris; daughter, Keith Morris Crosswhite and her husband, Reverend Kenneth (Kenny) W. Crosswhite; three grandchildren, Kenneth Yates Crosswhite,
Haley Morris Cuzzell (Charles), Gray Linder Morris (Robert Jones), and two step-grandchildren, Kendall Williams Hoak (Robby) and Anndel Williams Powers (Jeremy); and her great grandchildren, Hannah Jasee Chappell-Crosswhite, Otto Everett Jones, Charles Louis Cuzzell V, and Jackson Gray Cuzzell.
A family service will follow at a later date when the weather warms and the breezes blow gently. Memorial contributions may be made to Perception Ministries, 7001 Saint Andrews Road, #431, Columbia, SC 29212. Arrangements have be entrusted to Charleston Cremation
Center of Charleston. A memorial message may be sent to the family by visiting www.charlestoncremationcenter.com