Morris Clifton Shockley

Morris Clifton Shockley went to be with The Lord on December 29, 2020. Known as “Red" to his friends and “Papa” to his grandchildren, today we celebrate all that this incredible man has meant to us. Morris was born on July 14th, 1929 in Nashville, TN. As a child, he loved various sports but focused mostly on baseball. He played often and was particularly good behind home plate as the catcher. After graduating from Central High School, he went to work at R.D. Herbert where he began as an apprentice for sheet metal work and went on to become the shop foreman. Respected by all his colleagues, he was in charge of the shop and was often called upon to design and install fabrications that proved too difficult for others.

Papa's love for a well manicured lawn and meticulously maintained garden was second only to his passion for spending a day on the boat he loved and filling its livewell with fish. He loved spending time outdoors or in his shop “rigging somethin’ up” as his wife, Wilma, would say. Papa could fix anything, but what it might look like when he was finished is a different story. With a wide grin, he’d say “Well, it works, doesn’t it?” He was also well-read and highly intelligent. In the evenings, you could always find him in his favorite chair upstairs in his sitting room reading his Bible, the news paper, or a book about history. His other favorite evening pastime was watching sports. He’d watch any sport with any team often changing the channels back and forth because according to him “I don’t pay this cable bill to watch commercials.” He’d be there until his wife would yell up the stairs “Morris!” and he’d respond “Woohoo!” And that’s how he knew it was time for dinner!

Though Papa was looked at as an example to others as a wonderful and godly man, he always diverted attention to those he loved. He bragged often about his children, grandchildren, and his great grandchildren. He was always proud of everything they were doing and everything they’d accomplished, but he held no one in higher esteem than his loving wife of 47 years, Wilma. “Miss Wilma,” as he called her, was the absolute love of his life. He said she was “an angel from The Lord if there ever was one,” and he loved her dearly.

Morris is survived by his wife Wilma, his sister Nancy, and his children, Reba, Susie, Wyomme, Barry, and Kevin. He was preceded in death by his mother, Lera, his father, Milton, and his son, David.