- Date Of Birth: July 29, 1938
- Date Of Death: January 8, 2020
- State: Indiana
Ethelyn (Ethie) Berrier Morrison, age 81, gently passed away at the Autumn Hills Alzheimer’s Special Care Center in Bloomington, Indiana on January 8, 2020. Ethie was born, with her twin brother Erwin Jr., on July 29, 1938, in Cleveland, Ohio to Erwin and Louise Berrier.
She graduated from Euclid High School, Euclid, Ohio, in 1956. Ethie attended Ohio Wesleyan University for two years before transferring to Indiana University, Bloomington, in 1958. Ethie was an active member of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority. She graduated from Indiana University in 1960 with a degree in zoology. While at IU she met and fell in love with Richard (Dick) Morrison. They were married on September 2, 1960. In the early years, Ethie and Dick lived in several Indiana communities as Dick pursued his career in education. Ethie spent that time caring for their two young children, son, James (Jim), born September 1961, and daughter Dawn, born December 1962.
She was a devoted and loving wife and mother. Ethie attended Butler University in 1967 and earned her secondary science teaching
credentials. Her career as an educator lasted over 30 years. During her career, Ethie taught biology, earth science, AP biology, and finally a course in marine science that she authored. Ethie and Dick moved frequently as they pursued their professional goals. Ethie taught in
Missouri, Kansas, Minnesota, Indiana, and South Carolina. A lifelong student, Ethie earned her Masters degree in biology from Ball State University in 1988. She was a dedicated educator who devoted herself to sharing her great love of science with her students. Following her retirement in 1999 from Beaufort High School, Beaufort, SC, Ethie pursued her passion for genealogy. Ethie and DIck crisscrossed the country in a Winnebago conducting extensive research on both the Morrison and Berrier families. Ethie rediscovered her love of painting late in life. Ethie began to attend painting classes and seminars in 2001 and became a prolific watercolor artist. She was a leading member of the Beaufort, SC, Area Art Guild. Her beautiful landscapes, seascapes, and wildlife paintings became popular at local art shows and galleries. Ethie was very active in the Fripp Island Friends of Music organization. Through her leadership, the Friends of Music brought nationally known musicians to perform concerts and recitals for the Fripp Island, SC, community. Throughout her life, Ethie enjoyed hosting gatherings of family and friends. She was an avid gardener. She read voraciously and stayed interested in national affairs throughout her life.
Ethie and Dick moved to Bloomington, Indiana in 2014.
Ethie is preceded in death by her parents, Erwin Franklin and Louise Weibley Berrier, and her twin brother Erwin (Bud) Franklin Berrier Jr.
She is survived by her husband, Richard William Morrison, son, James Erwin Morrison, daughter, Dawn Morrison Graves, grandchildren Johnathan Morrison, Adam Graves, and Clara Graves, sister-in-law Ellen Berrier as well as 14 nieces and nephews and their children.
