Elizabeth Morris Wilks

Elizabeth “Libby” Morris Wilks, 93, beloved wife, mother, Meme, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend, of Lexington, South Carolina, passed peacefully into the arms of Jesus on Tuesday, October 14, 2025. Born December 25, 1931, she was the best Christmas gift to her parents, the late Lawrence Edgar “Bill” Morris and the late Lily Viola Arthur Morris. She grew up in Chester, South Carolina, in the Gale Mill Village, which was a tight-knit community of families, where she made many life-long friends. She worked at Springs Mills (Lancaster Bleachery), until she married Ramon Jeter “Bill” Wilks, and became a wife and mother, then dedicating herself to her husband and raising her four children. Once her children were older, she went to work as a Business Manager at a local rock radio station, worked as a ranger at Charwood Golf Course, and worked at First Community Bank in Bank Operations.

Libby had a beautiful soprano singing voice, and while growing up, she often sang opera from her front porch to entertain the neighbors. She sang bluegrass and southern gospel music with her very musically talented family every Saturday night. She sang in choirs and solos at churches all her life, including countless weddings and funerals, and also sang with a small traveling choral group of her friends for revivals and camp meetings. She was an excellent seamstress, making her own clothes, her children’s clothes, and her husband’s suits and ties. She often created her own patterns and designed dresses and outfits for herself and her daughters. She sewed outfits and costumes for many of the productions at Lexington Baptist Church. She was an active member of Laurel Baptist Church in West Columbia for 35+ years, and also Trinity Baptist Church in Cayce. She was an excellent cook and hostess, which are skills she passed along to her children and grandchildren. She loved a good party and loved to laugh. Her home was always open, serving as a gathering place for family and friends. She “adopted,” many special friends and considered them her family.

Libby was athletic and loved the outdoors, playing basketball, softball and volleyball in school. She continued playing softball with recreation leagues as an adult, but her favorite sport was golf. She started playing golf in her early 40’s and played until she was 87, and no longer physically able. She played with the Charwood Ladies Golf Association, and the Senior Golfers’ Association, and participated in One Day State Tournaments and Sandlapper Tournaments. She won the Women’s City Golf Championship in 1994, 1995 and 1997, and many other various local, State and National tournaments. Her team won third place in the National Senior’s Tournament at Disney World in 1998. An avid fan of sports, she loved her Clemson Tigers and the Atlanta Braves.

She is predeceased by her husband, Ramon Jeter “Bill” Wilks; her daughter, Carol Lynn Rikard, her sister, Dot Morris Hope, and her brothers, Billy Morris and Vernon Morris. She is survived by her son, Keith (Carol Jean), her daughters Jane Wilks and Lori Wilks Bates, and her son-in-law Steve Rikard; her grandchildren, Jessica Wilks Easterlin (Nick), Brandon Wilks (Sarah Ansley), Taylor Wilks Wood (Harrison), Jared Rikard (Chelsea), Cameron Rikard Nienberg (Nate), Thomas Bates and Travis Bates; and her great grandchildren, Emerson Easterlin, Ellis Easterlin, Evelyn Easterlin, Kennedy Wood, Karlie Wood, James Ansley, Traegan Rikard, Tyson Rikard, McKenzie Nienberg and Bailey Nienberg; her brother, Robert “Shorty” Morris (Gloria), and her sister, Marian Morris Watts, and many nieces, nephews, cousins and special friends.

The family would like recognize special caregivers, Constance (Connie) Lewis of Home Instead, and Cailla Brehmer of MSA Hospice, for going above and beyond what was asked or expected, in taking care of Mom/Meme. They loved her well in these last months and guided us through this time with such compassion and love.

She also leaves behind a legacy of faith in God. Proverbs 31: 29-31, “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”

Memorials in honor of Libby may be made to Laurel Baptist Church, 2250 Pine St, West Columbia, SC 29170, or, Medical Services of America (MSA) Hospice, 2 Palmetto Wood Parkway, Suite 204, Irmo, SC 29063.

A visitation for Elizabeth will be held Sunday, November 2, 2025 at 1:30 PM at Laurel Baptist Church, 2250 Pine Street, West Columbia, SC 29170, followed by a memorial service at 3:00 PM.