Mary Walker Morrow

Published 11:12 am Wednesday, August 25, 2021

Mary Walker Morrow passed away on August 16, 2021, in Nashville, TN, at the age of 87 after battling Lewy Body Dementia. She was born November 8,1933 to William Ethan and Jewell (Davidson) Walker. She was preceded in death by both of her parents.

Born in Fairview, Missouri, Mary was raised in Kansas City, Kansas, where she graduated from Wyandotte High School and after graduation joined Phillips Petroleum in KCK as a secretary. After working for Phillips Petroleum headquarters in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and in Denver Colorado, Mary was inspired to follow her dreams of a college education. She obtained her BA degree in English from Abilene Christian University, in Abilene, graduating Magna Cum Laude. Mary paid for her college education by working as a secretary to the chairman of the Bible Department. After catching the eye of one of the Bible Department’s students during his regular office visits with the chairman, Mary met her future husband, William Russell Morrow, Jr., of Selma, . On September 2 1965, they married in Kansas City, Kansas. This year Mary and Russell would have celebrated their 56th anniversary.

Russell and Mary taught in Texas until their children were born and Russell’s parents urged their move to Selma, in 1971. Mary taught English at Dallas County High School briefly before joining the Dallas County School System in 1974.  Once named teacher of the week, Mary taught English at Eastside Middle School – School of Discovery. With her love of literature and education, Mary attended evening class obtaining her master’s degree in library science from the University of Alabama. She became School of Discovery’s Librarian and was an evening librarian at Wallace Community College. Mary retired from the Dallas County School System after 30 years of service.

Retirement was not her style, and with a heart for service, Mary worked as a Research Librarian at the Selma-Dallas County Public Library for almost twenty additional years, until her health required full retirement in August 2019 at the age of 85.

Mary was compassionate toward others and active in supporting her community. As a church member, and a minister’s wife, she served on several committees, taught Bible classes, prepared meals for and visited those in bereavement or ill health, was a member and a Historian of Christian Women’s Fellowship while attending Selma’s First Christian Church, Disciples of Christ. She later attended and served as a Historian at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church. Mary volunteered her time often and was secretary on the Advisory Council of Christian Services for Children in Alabama for several years. With a love for the arts, she supported local authors and artists. Her presence in the Selma community will be sorely missed.

Her love and passion for her family was evident to all who knew her. She is survived by her husband William Russell Morrow, Jr., daughter Lydiabeth Morrow Haley (Troy), Nashville, , and son William Russell Morrow, III (Antaeres), Watsonville, CA, grandsons Townes Haley and William Russell Morrow, IV and granddaughter Astraea Morrow, sisters Ruth Kent, Roeland Park, KS and, Juanita Cates, Lenexa, KS, nephew Will Kent (Kristin), Overland Park, KS, great nephews Andrew, Aidan, Adam and great niece Anna, nephew Ethan Cates, Raymore, MO, great nephew Gabriel Carpenter-Cates, Olathe, KS, niece Rebecca Cates, Lenexa, KS, niece Michelle Morrow Allen (Pete), Mobile, , great nieces Rachel Allen, Mollie Allen, Mary-Morrow Allen, Niece Kelly Morrow, Selma, AL. great nephew Paul Underwood, Selma, AL and great niece Haley Neeley, Lebanon, Tennessee.

Our family would like to thank Mary’s sister, Juanita Cates, and the care team at Traditions of Mill Creek Memory Community who cared for, loved, and walked this difficult journey with us. We would also like to thank our family and friends who have provided emotional and spiritual encouragement, guidance, and management. Everyone’s love and support sustained and guided us. The family invites you to join them at a Celebration of Life Service to be held at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in Selma,, Saturday, August 28th, 2021, at 1 p.m. with a Reception immediately following. Also planned is a family burial for Saturday morning at 10:00am at Pineview Memory Gardens with Lawrence Brown-Service Funeral Home directing. Due to the rise in COVID numbers, and for love and the safety of all, the family requests that masks be worn, and social distancing be practiced. If you forget your masks, we will have them available for you along with sanitary handwashing stations. We would love to be able to hug you and shake your hands, instead, we encourage you to give loving fist bumps or elbow touches.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested memorial donations in Mary’s name sent to the Selma-Dallas County Public Library, 1103 Selma Avenue, Selma, Alabama 36703.