Shirley L. Carter Morris, 93, died peacefully on February 26, 2019 at the Valley View Retirement Community in Belleville, PA.
She was born October 3, 1925, daughter to Homer B. Graffius and Myrtle R. (Stoner) Graffius. She married Roy F. Carter on October 13, 1946, and their marriage of 48 years ended with his death on August 3, 1995. She then married Thomas V. Morris, who died August 17, 2016.
She is survived by four children: Kenneth R. (Theresa) Carter and Brian D. (Jeannie) Carter of Altoona, Dennis F. (Rebecca) Carter of Fairfield, PA, and Christine L. (Stephen) Miller of Penn Yann, NY; two brothers, Joseph Weston Graffius of Hollidaysburg and Charles H. Graffius of Wisconsin; a half-brother Duane Graffius of Virginia, and nine grandchildren and many great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husbands; a son, John Michael Carter; three sisters: Marie Annabelle (Graffius) Katcher, Mabel Virginia (Graffius) Hamilton, and Dorothy Mae (Graffius) Forsht; and two brothers: Robert James Graffius and an infant Harvey John Graffius.
Shirley was a 1943 graduate of Altoona High School and a 1946 graduate of the Altoona Hospital School of Nursing as a Registered Nurse. She worked at the Altoona Hospital and as a private duty nurse for many years. She retired as a Nurse Supervisor at Valley View County Home in Altoona. As a new Registered Nurse in February 1947, she vividly remembered the emergency recall of medical and nursing staff to the Altoona Hospital to treat the casualties of the Wreck of the Red Arrow passenger train. Her patients included some of the circus performers traveling in the Pullman cars on that train. She was a member of the Business and Professional Women of Altoona, Order of the Eastern Star (Worthy Matron, 1976) and the Civic Association of McAlevy’s Fort, and the Ennisville Methodist Church. She enjoyed reading and needlework, gardening, and with her second husband Tom she took up hunting and fishing. Shirley shot her first deer at age 74 at the 4 ½ Mile Hunting Camp in Warriors Mark.
Friends will be received Friday evening, March 1, 2019 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Mauk & Yates Funeral Home. Inc., 719 N 4th Avenue, Altoona, 16601. Additional visitation will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, March 2 with a Memorial Service at Noon.
In lieu of floral tributes, the family suggests contributions to the local chapter of the American Red Cross, or the charity of your choice.