Edward P. Morris,

Edward P. Morris, Jr., passed away on Tuesday, January 3, 2012, at the Manning Regional Hospital in Manning, Iowa, at the age of ninety-one.
Born February 6, 1920, to Anna Mae and Edward P. Morris, Sr. in Camden, New Jersey. His early years were spent in the Merchantville, New Jersey area and he entered military service in 1939. Ed was united in marriage to Hazel Valarie Miller on November 1, 1942, at the Methodist Chapel in Spartansburg, S.C., while attending OCS training school.
Rising to the rank of Captain during his twenty-one year military career. Ed was a participant in the nuclear testing sites in Nevada during the 50s and saw combat during the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign and the Korean War as well as other strategic maneuvers. He was a member of the 11th Airborne Paratroopers and while stationed in Colorado, received mountain climbing and rescue training. He later applied those skills while stationed in Austria where he was also assigned duty as a ski instructor.
During his military career he received many honors and awards such as:World War II Victory; Bronze Star; Good Conduct; American Defense Service; American Campaign; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign; Purple Heart; Combat Infantryman Badge with Star; United Nations Service; Korean Service; 3 Overseas Bars; Army of Occupation (Germany); National Defense Service; Korean Presidential Unit Citation; World War II Presidential Unit Citation; and the Armed Forces Reserve medal.
Upon returning from Austria, Ed was assigned to Fort Benning in Columbus, GA, where in 1957 he joined Community of Christ Church, was called and ordained to the office of Elder on September 23, 1960. Ed retired from military service in December of 1960. Shortly thereafter, Ed moved his family back to his childhood roots in the Merchantville, New Jersey area. As a member of the Ashland Community of Christ branch, he served in many different capacities including Pastor.
In 1974 , Eds family moved to St. Charles, Iowa, where he served as Mayor of the town for a year and was a member of the Osceola Community of Christ branch. During the next 22 years, Ed ministered and served his community and his congregation, including four years as Pastor.
Ed lived a life of valiant service, high moral character and Christian values. Throughout his life he enjoyed hunting and fishing, was an avid amateur radio enthusiast, and had a beautiful tenor voice which he shared willingly with the church, family, and friends. In 1996 Ed made his final move to Manning, Iowa, to be closer to family.
Ed was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Valarie; his daughter, Patricia; and his sister, Dorothea. Ed is survived by his four children: Theodore and his wife, Carrie; Dorothea; Edward P. III; and Wayne and his wife, Kathleen; fourteen grandchildren; twenty-three great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and many loving relatives and friends.