Virginia Dirkes Morris

Dirkes, the youngest of three children. She died peacefully at the age of 81 on Tuesday,

May 27, 2025.

Virginia and her siblings, Therese and Carl, Jr., were raised in Grosse Pointe Shores,

Michigan, and enjoyed summers at the family’s cottage on Mullett Lake in Indian River,

Michigan.

As a young woman, Virginia moved to Florida, where she met and married her husband,

John Morris. There, Virginia worked with John in his plumbing company and at the local

greyhound racetrack. They were married for 42 years and spent their retirement years living

in Treasure Island, Florida, during the winter months, and summers with Virginia’s mother

and brother, Muriel and Carl Jr., at Mullett Lake. Virginia and John were inseparable, and

she became the loving grandmother to John’s grandchildren by his first wife. Together, John

and Virginia enjoyed frequent trips to Walt Disney World during the winter season,

collecting many Disney mementos, as well as visiting with family, and making a leisurely

drive twice a year between their Florida home and the Mullett Lake cottage.

Virginia and John later moved from Treasure Island to a retirement community in Seminole,

Florida, and following John’s death in 2019, Virginia moved to Naples, Florida. There,

Virginia was an active participant in the communities of The Arlington of Naples and

Discovery Village, involved in resident life activities and engaging newcomers. She enjoyed

socializing with others, shopping, and musical concerts. Virginia had a particular love of

music performed by world-renowned violinist, Andre Rieu, and was able to see his

orchestra’s filmed 2024 Christmas Concert broadcasted at a movie theatre in Colorado

this past December.

Following several serious health issues, Virginia moved to an Assisted Living residence in

Broomfield, Colorado, to be closer to her nephew and niece.

Virginia is survived by John’s granddaughters, Mary Louise Palmiter (Donald) of Knoxville,

Tennessee, and Marjorie Mitchell (Wesley, deceased), 7 great-grandchildren, and several

great-great grandchildren; dear cousins, Joan (nee Dirkes) & John Vismara of Gross Pointe

Farms, MI; devoted nephew William E. Dirkes, Jr. (Marifran) of Erie, CO, loving nieces

Elizabeth (nee Dirkes) Lagnese (Tom), and Claire (nee Dirkes) Hamilton (Matthew);

goddaughter, Linda Fritz; and many friends in Florida and Michigan.

Virginia was preceded in death by her husband, John, as well as her parents and two older

siblings.

The Mass of Christian Burial for Virginia will be at 10:00 am Monday, June 9, 2025, at The

Church of the Transfiguration, 25225 Code Road, Southfield, MI, 48033. A brief visitation

will be at the church at 9:30 am, ahead of the funeral service. Burial will follow at Holy

Sepulchre Cemetery, 25800 W. 10 Mile Road, Southfield, MI, 48033.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be oeered to the church that Virginia and her family

so enjoyed, and where they worshiped during the summers in Michigan: Cross in the

Woods Catholic Church and National Shrine, 7078 M-68, Indian River, MI 49749.