Earl Monroe Morris
Earl Monroe “Poppa” Morris, 93, of Lumberton, Texas, passed away peacefully in his home on April 21, 2026. The youngest of five children, he was born March 18, 1933, in Sour Lake, Texas to Alonzo W. Morris and Clara Garrison Morris. He graduated from Honey Island High School in 1951, prior to serving in the United States Air Force.
On September 15, 1953, he married his high school sweetheart and love of his life, Shirley Glaze, and they spent the next several years traveling across the United States as he worked in the construction industry. They returned to southeast Texas in 1960 and remained there the rest of their lives.
Poppa was a “fixer,” often fixing things which were not broken…at least they were not broken before he “fixed” them. He was also known for saving every little piece of useless junk imaginable, because “you never know when someone might come along needing one of those.” He loved being on the water, and for many years he and Shirley spent nearly every weekend on their shrimp boat, the “Just’n Time.” Upon becoming widowed, he built a waterfront home on their Sam Rayburn Lake property where he resided for the next twenty-nine years.
He is survived by his daughter, Rhonda Benoit and her husband, Ralph; son, Kirk Morris; grandsons, Justin Hawkins and his wife, Mykal; and Jarad Hawkins; great-granddaughters, Savannah Hawkins and Laken Hawkins; and great-great grandson, Canaan Hawkins.
Poppa will be greatly missed, but elated to be reunited with Shirley, whom he has sorely missed every single day since her death.
He was blessed with two wonderful caregivers, Pat and Deborah, who became family, and brought lots of love and laughter to his life. He loved them dearly, and we are forever grateful for these ladies. We also give honor to the wonderful staff of Harbor Hospice who lovingly went above and beyond to assure he was comfortable, and all of his needs were met.
A private celebration of life will be held in his honor at a later date.
Mr.Earl will be greatly missed by all who knew him…. We loved. Drinking coffee visiting and Sitting with him on his porch at the lake …. He was always full of information where the crappie were biting and what bait to use for bass fishing …. He was a very knowledgeable man of Lake Sam Rayburn…,
May you rest in peace and know you touch so
many lives in such a positive way..
Rest well Uncle Earl. Always enjoyed my time spent with him and especially the times at our Hardin County hunting camp along with cousin Kirk. Those Morris boys loved time in the Thicket!
Uncle Earl was a good man . Loved to. Fish . He loved to play catch with my son Jeff. I married his middle brothers daughter Linda . He was Lester Morris. Their older brother was Harold . They all three loved to squirrel hunt . Often their children would go with them to their hunting camp in Hardin county. I had the pleasure of going once. Their two sisters Aunt Lucille married J.D. Dubois & Aunt Tincey married Billy Owens . Lester married Rita Arlene Dunn. Harold married Verlie . As Lester & Rita’s son n law I can say Earl was a character. Always a smile. He will be missed. I think of all of them very often. Earls first wife was beautiful & creative . Loved to write poetry. How honored I am to have known uncle Earl . May he rest in peace.
Sorry to hear about Earls passing. I did not know Earl was in Lumberton and in Bmt hospice. He will be missed by family and friends.
Jackie, he had lived with us the last few years, and we had hospice service in our home for the last 5 weeks. I kept my promise to take care of him and never place him in a facility.
Uncle Earl embarassed me more than anyone I’ve ever known! When we lived in Jackson, Ms. …once in a blue moon (thank goodness!) he drove me to school in his truck.. he sang his country songs all the way there and the closer we got to school the louder he got, rolled the windows down and beat on the side door! I was a senior and was fire red every single time i had to ride the truck with Earl! Crazy memory🤪