Martha Virginia (Bailey) Morrison, 92, of Concord, passed peacefully from her life in the midst of family on June 27, 2023.
Born in Charleston, WV on April 6, 1931, Marty was the daughter of the late Clyde and Estel Bailey. As a young girl, Marty became interested in the local Methodist Church and asked her mother to start taking her to Sunday school. This would be the start of a lifelong journey in the church.
Marty graduated from Stonewall Jackson High School, before attending Taylor University, where she pursued and obtained two Bachelor’s degrees: one in Religion and one in Education. While in college she married Frederick Morrison, whom she met one summer as a camp counselor.
Marty spent the next phase of her life being a wife and mom of three children and several household pets. When Marty was 45 years old, she started seminary at the Yale University Divinity School where she obtained a Doctorate of Ministry Degree and became an ordained minister at a time when it was uncommon for women to be in the ministry. Her first church was the Sheepshead Bay United Methodist Church in Brooklyn, followed by Washington Square Methodist Episcopal Church in Manhattan. She served as District Superintendent of the Methodist Church in Dutchess County, supervising ministers in nearly 60 churches throughout the county.
She enjoyed a number of years living at Newbury Court where she developed many strong relationships within the community that provided an outpouring of support and compassion in her last months and weeks. Marty also enjoyed attending worship services at the Duvall Chapel at Newbury Court and Saint Matthews United Methodist Church in Acton.
Marty is survived by her daughter, Leslie, her son, Scott, Scott’s partner Kate, her grandchildren: Race, Bailey, Emma, and Peter, her great-granddaughter: Ayla, and several nieces and nephews. Marty was predeceased by her son, Gregg, her parents, and her brothers: Raymond and Harold.
Family and friends are invited to attend a celebration of life at the Duvall Chapel at Newbury Court, 80 Deaconess Road, Concord, on Saturday, August 12th at 10:30 am.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her honor to the Southern Poverty Law Center, PO Box 5632, Montgomery, AL 36177-7459 (www.splcenter.org).
Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord. For her full obituary and online guestbook, please visit www.DeeFuneralHome.com.
