Albert Leland Morris Jr.

Albert was born on August 3, 1924 in the small town of Grovetown, Georgia to parents Albert and Maude Morris. He was raised on a farm along with his three younger siblings: brother Frank and sisters Maude and Quida. Life was difficult early on as the Great Depression engulfed the country and his parents struggled to make ends meet. Albert had many great stories from his formative years such as picking wild flowers and trapping rabbits to sell at the Augusta Farmer’s Market on weekends in order to help his family get by financially. Family was always of the utmost importance to Albert and he always put other family member’s needs ahead of his own. He was a selfless, caring, loving person.

Albert began his post high school education at the University of Georgia in 1941. His education was quickly interrupted by the start of World War II when he began his service in the U.S. Navy. He served in the Atlantic theatre aboard the submarine attack carrier “USS Guadalcanal” until the end of the war at which time he returned to the University of Georgia. At Georgia he excelled as a student graduating at the top of his journalism class. He was editor of the “Red and Black” which is the university newspaper. He was also a member of the debate team and played on the baseball team. He was one of the few members of the baseball team that was not also on the football team. He often joked that baseball practice was actually spring football practice.

Albert graduated in 1949 and shortly thereafter married the love of his life, Elmo. Soon after they married Albert was called back into the Navy to serve in the Korean conflict. Elmo would travel to any port where Albert’s ship would dock in the US during the war so they could have time together. The war ended in 1953 and Albert and Elmo settled in the small town of Lithonia, Georgia where Albert served as a writer for the publication “Electricity on the Farm” and Elmo taught high school. In 1962 they relocated to Raleigh, along with their two young sons, where Albert had accepted a job at Carolina Power and Light as a speechwriter for the then Chairman Shearon Harris. Albert spent the remainder of his career, encompassing 27 years, at CP&L rising to the level of Vice President in charge of Public Relations and Corporate Communications.

Albert was also very active in the Raleigh community. He served on the boards of many charitable organizations in Wake County, chairing several. He and Elmo joined Hayes Barton Baptist Church in 1963 and he remained an active member until his health limited his ability to participate. His devotion to Jesus Christ and to his Church was the most important aspect of Albert’s life. He served on numerous committees and councils and was twice Chairman of the Diaconate. He is also one of only a few to be named “Deacon Emeritus” at Hayes Barton which is awarded to those with life-long exemplary service to the Church. Albert was instrumental in starting the “shut in” ministry at Hayes Barton where members who were not able to attend because of health reasons were visited frequently by active members who would bring flowers, meals and companionship. Albert loved to pick buckets of strawberries during the season and deliver them to shut ins, friends and the staff of the church. After his retirement from CP&L he spent countless hours at area hospitals visiting church members and other friends with health issues. He would also sit with families during the surgery of a member of their family in an effort to comfort them.

Albert loved baseball and enjoyed instructing and coaching his boys through the years in Little League, Junior League and American Legion baseball. A highlight was in 1970 as he coached North Raleigh Optimist to the Raleigh Junior League city championship. Albert also enjoyed the outdoors. He loved to fish and hunt but his true love was gardening. He spent the majority of his free time landscaping his yard or working in his vegetable garden. As a teenager he served as president of the Georgia “Future Farmers of America” and would have loved to have been able to make a career as a farmer.

The family wishes to thank the nurses and other staff members of the Stewart Health Center at Springmoor for the loving care they provided Albert over the last several years. We would like to extend a very special thanks to our friend Marty Keever who provided constant companionship and care to Albert after the stroke he suffered in June of 2017.

Albert is survived by his sons, Albert III (Lee) and his wife Donna, Neil and his wife Cathy, grandchildren Jennifer Finnegan, Natalie Morris, Spencer Morris and great grandchildren Callie and Sadie Finnegan.

A memorial service in celebration of Albert’s life will be held at Hayes Barton Baptist Church on Friday March 8, 2019 at 1:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that gifts be sent to the Hayes Barton Baptist -Church Debt Retirement Fund, 1800 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27608.

Arrangements by Brown-Wynne, 300 Saint Mary’s Street, Raleigh.