Early the morning of April 28, 2020 our beloved, Janice “Jan” Glass Morris, left this earth to move on to her eternal home in heaven with Jesus her Savior. We are assured that she was greeted by our loved ones who are already there.
Jan was preceded in this journey to heaven by her son, Richard W. Morris; former husband, Richard A. Morris; parents, O. J. Glass and Billie Murray Glass; paternal grandparents, John Oscar Glass and Mary Elizabeth Bivens Glass; maternal grandparents, William Henry Murray and Rachel Scott Murray; brothers, Bill Taylor Glass, Johnnie Paul Glass and Charles Ronald Glass; and cousins, Marilyn Murray Tant and Nancy Hughes Beane. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Kimberly and Greg Hummel; daughter-in-law, Jana Morris; grandchildren, Ryan Hummel and Jessica Barger, Melanie Hummel and Nick Mitchell, Heather Hummel DeBesse and Cameron DeBesse, Rachel “Nickie” Morris Gardner and Michael Gardner, Christa Morris, and Shelby Morris; and great-grandchildren, Jaxson Hummel, Phoenyx Barger, Cali Rose Hummel, Rylee Mitchell, and Bastian Sharp; sister, Deborah Glass Taylor; brother, J. Larry Glass; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Jan graduated from Spring Branch High School in 1957 and pursued a career in Dental Office Management for several decades. She was a loving mother of her two children, as well as, a loving grandmother and great-grandmother. Children were always an incredibly special part of her life. They gave her tremendous joy. She was an active member of the churches she attended while living in Houston, and later in Calera, Alabama for several years. She especially enjoyed singing in the choir or as a soloist, and working with youth and children in the church. Mere words cannot describe what a beautiful spirit she has and how she spent 80 years on this earth loving and caring for everyone she knew. Her kindness and concern for others was unsurpassed. In her later years, she dealt with several health issues which caused her to be dependent on the assistance of a walker or wheelchair. We are very thankful that she no longer has a need for such assistance. She has no more pain or sorrow. We look forward to the day when we will see her again in eternity.
Visitation with the family began at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 2, 2020 in the chapel of Waltrip Funeral Directors, 1415 Campbell Road in Houston, where a Celebration of Life service honoring Jan started at 2:00 p.m. Committal services followed nicheside at Memorial Oaks Cemetery, also in Houston.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Jan to a local Food Bank in your area, or any church or organization that helps fight hunger.
The eulogy for Jan’s Celebration of Life service was rendered by Jan's sister, Deborah Glass Taylor, and reads as follows:
Way back in 1938, a very beautiful, sweet young girl named Billie Murray lived in a small Alabama town called Bridgeport. It is located in the extreme northeast corner of the State on the banks of the Tennessee River in the area known as the Tennessee Valley. She had recently graduated from High School and was contemplating her future. These were the times when our country was recovering from the Great Depression and the government had initiated many huge projects to get our country growing again. One such project involved building dams along the Tennessee River to generate electricity to be delivered to the cities, towns and rural areas of the Tennessee Valley. A dashing young man named O.J. Glass was working for the Tennessee Valley Authority, TVA, and was assigned to the Bridgeport area that summer. He met the beautiful Billie Murray one night in late August at the Skating Rink. It must have been love at first sight. Two weeks later they slipped away to Rossville, Georgia to find a Justice of the Peace, and were married. They were together for 56 years on this earth and have been together in heaven for the past 22 years.
On July 14, 1939, God blessed them with a beautiful baby girl, who they named Janice Maxine Glass and called Jan. It seems that first-born children get a lot of attention from not only their Mom and Dad, but extended family as well. Jan was the first grandchild for both sets of grandparents, and the first niece for her Uncle Tate, Aunt Peg and Uncle Bo. She won the hearts of everyone immediately.
Another thing first-born children seem to get is a lot of responsibility. In 1941, her first brother arrived, Johnnie, followed closely by another brother, Ronnie in ’42, and another brother, Bill in ’43, and brother #4, Larry in ’46. Jan was always Mother’s helper. When she was still a toddler herself, she helped with simple things like playing with Johnnie, so Mother could cook meals and such. As she grew, so did her responsibilities. This was the seed that created the loving, caring, sharing woman she became.
In 1948, she was catapulted into one of the most painful and difficult times of her life just a month before her 9th birthday. Our brother Bill died in an auto accident only days before he would have turned 5. Jan’s caring for her siblings took on a new dimension in the months following that day. Mother sank into a deep, dark depression. Mother herself had been in the role that Jan was then in, when she was 9 and lost a brother. Now, Mother was grieving the loss of a child. Jan became the little mother that made sure all the brothers were doing what they were supposed to be doing at any given time. After battling depression for about a year and a half she sought help from her doctor who told Mother “You need to have another child. You can never replace Bill, but another newborn child will bring you life.” Mother and Daddy agreed with the doctor.
Now, Jan loved all her brothers, but the day Mother went into labor with this new baby, Jan told Mother and Daddy as they were leaving to go to the hospital, “If this is another boy, I’m leaving!” Jan was ecstatic when Daddy called home later to tell her that I was a girl. She finally had a little sister! Jan immediately became my “second mother” and I became her baby doll, tagalong, shadow. She was my mentor, teacher of all things about life, nurse for boo boos, shield against big brother tricks, shoulder to cry on when life started getting tough. She was always there for me. And, those brothers grew into our protectors to guard us from all the bumps and scrapes of life.
If we had a few days I could sit here and tell you stories of how I grew up with a Mom, Dad and 4 siblings spoiling me constantly. Jan was my chief spoiler. She took me to Dugan’s Drug Store to buy fountain Cokes and 5 cent candy bars. She helped me hide when we played Hide n Go Seek with all the neighborhood kids after dark. When she started dating, she even took me with her when she and her date went to an amusement park so I could ride the carousel and eat cotton candy. I was always tagging along.
When she and Dickie started dating, I became their little shadow. They started taking me to new places I had never heard of before, like golf courses and driving ranges. When Jan graduated from Spring Branch High School in 1957, I think they were already talking about marriage. Mom and Dad were trying to get them to wait awhile. But one November evening they came home with the news that they were married. Considering that Mother and Daddy had eloped it was a bit difficult to object, so they just started planning how to move forward.
Two years later when Ricky arrived, the whole world changed. Mother became Granny, Dad became Granddaddy, all the brothers became uncles, and I became Aunt Debbie at the ripe old age of eight. Mother and Jan loved to have their little shopping excursions, so Daddy and I became the babysitters. When Ricky wouldn’t go to sleep, Daddy would say “Let’s go ride around.” So, he drove, and I held Ricky to get him to sleep while we rode around Spring Branch. There were no child seats back then.
Even though Jan had acquired all the responsibilities that come with “adulting”, like being a good wife, mother, homemaker and employee, she still found time to do things for all the rest of her family. She still took Ricky and me places and brought us surprises. She loved working for a dentist, Dr. Gray. Being around people and helping them just seemed to charge her up.
In 1961, Daddy’s company closed their foundry in Houston. After several months of working for another company, he accepted a job with an affiliated foundry in Calera, Alabama. Larry and I were the only children still at home by then. Johnnie and Frances had married and were expecting their first child. Plus, Johnnie and Ronnie had both enlisted in the Army. So, Mom, Dad, Larry and I moved off to Alabama. Mom and Dad were happy to be closer to the places where they grew up and their families, but were torn by leaving Jan and Dickie, Johnnie’s wife, Frances, and now two grandchildren, Ricky and Michael in Houston. Once again, the whole world changed. The 650 mile road trips between Houston and Alabama began, and still occur.
In 1965 I came out and spent the entire summer with Jan, Dickie and Ricky. It was the summer the Astrodome had opened. Dickie took us to games several times. Many times, we ate dinner at Howard Johnson’s after the game. Sometimes we went to movies at a theatre in the shopping center at the corner of Long Point and Gessner. Jan loved a little deli that was in that shopping center. I think that’s where I first encountered a Reuben sandwich. We were always out running around in her black ’57 Ford going somewhere fun. We also saw “The Sound of Music” that summer. There were so many good movies back then. That was a very special time that I wish could have lasted forever.
The summer of ’67 Jan and Ricky came to spend several weeks with us in Alabama, then I came out to spend a week in Houston. Mother and Jan had been getting things ready for the arrival of Kimmy. By the time Kimmy arrived in September, Jan was already so in love with her baby girl! Dressing up babies was her favorite thing to do. But I specifically recall how beautiful Jan was when she was pregnant. And, there was this one outfit that had yellow pants and a sleeveless white with yellow dots maternity blouse that I thought was simply gorgeous. Three years later when I was expecting Becky, Jan gave me her maternity clothes and I wore that outfit at least twice a week. I loved it!
When Jimbo and I married we loved to visit Houston and we loved it when Jan and the kids came to visit in Alabama. In Houston, we still went to Astros games, Astroworld and Galveston. Once when visiting Astroworld a few weeks before Ricky’s 12th birthday, Rick jumped off the shuttle and ran to the ticket booth ahead of us. He told the lady he was 12, as kids often do when they are nearing the next birthday, but then tried to change his answer to 11 when he realized 12 would cost a full adult admission. The lady wouldn’t change the price. As Jan approached the window and heard what was happening, she tried to explain to the lady that Rick wasn’t 12 yet. Let’s just say the exchange became somewhat heated. The lady finally relented and charged Rick for a child’s ticket, then Jan picked up soon to be 4 years old Kimmy and held her up in the ticket window while loudly saying, “And, this child is almost 4! How much is her ticket?” We never did let Jan forget that one. It’s been the source of many laughs over the years. She loved her kids so much and could become Mama Griz in a split second if anyone gave them a hard time. Although, Jimbo came up with a story about a spider that he told to Kimmy once. This is all very strange, because Jimbo himself hates spiders. Nevertheless, he scared Kimmy pretty badly, then told her before we went home that he would mail her some spiders. I heard that she was afraid of mail for years after that. I’m surprised Jan didn’t get on to Jimbo for that. I guess she loved him too much, too.
The late 70’s and 80’s started bringing on some tough challenges in Jan’s life. She and Dickie parted ways, which is always devastating no matter what the circumstances are. But I think she always loved him none the less. She called me the day he passed away and cried so hard that it took a few minutes for me to figure out what she was telling me. Even after 30 years apart his passing still broke her heart. But, the 80’s also served up a big battle with cancer. She fought that enemy with strength and determination like I had never seen before. Her faith in Jesus Christ sustained her through those many battles. She eventually beat cancer, but the aftereffects were felt the rest of her life. All of this prompted her to move to Alabama to be near Mother and Daddy for the emotional and physical support she needed. But she was always as much help to them as they were to her. Plus, her cheerful presence simply brought them joy. No matter how big the problem, how high the hurdle, or how tough the challenge, she always had a smile, a word of wisdom or a song to share. She had the most beautiful voice.
The 90’s became even more challenging. All that adulting was really taking a toll. Jan devoted herself to taking care of Mother and Daddy as they began facing physical decline. Even though she had hip surgery that wasn’t highly successful, she was still taking care of them getting them to and from doctor’s appointments, shopping, and especially church. She always loved being part of her church and serving the Lord. That little church in Calera was just the perfect group for Jan to be a part of. They all shared a love of Christ and a love for each other. It kept a smile on Jan’s face, strength in her body, and determination in her spirit through the loss of Daddy and as her own health declined. After Mother passed away, she moved back to Houston to be near Ricky and Kimmy again.
Jan had also become a grandmother during the time she lived in Alabama. So, moving back to Houston brought her near to her grandchildren. We grandmothers find life in our grandbabies, and Jan was no exception. Every time we were together or on the phone, she was telling me the latest stories about Ryan, Melanie, Nickie, Christa, Heather and Shelby. You won’t know until you have grandchildren how much they “recharge your batteries”! God knows when we need an extra hand to keep going. He even gave her great-grandchildren in the last few years to keep her joy levels up and keep her going. The photos I’ve seen of her and Rylee or her and Jaxson made it hard to tell whether she or the kids had the biggest smile. Those babies made her so happy.
So, what is the point of sharing so many stories about our family and Jan’s life in particular? Hopefully, you recognize that each of us here and watching on livestream were an integral piece of her life. She planted love and caring into each of us. And, even when we weren’t aware, we sowed joy and love into her. She didn’t overcome all the health obstacles that she did and make it to be 80 years old all on her own. God gave her the strength she needed for each day and he used all of us and many others to deliver what she needed exactly at the time she needed it. Perhaps it was something material she needed, or a call, a visit, a prayer, a smile, or simply thinking of her. Whatever you sowed back into her life, she deeply appreciated. She gave all that she had and put others first all her life. But, when she had nothing left but her love, she still gave it freely. And that was the greatest gift of all.
We miss you Jan. But we look forward to the day we see you again in heaven.
See ya’ later.
Jan's brother, J. Larry Glass added:
To My Angel Forever
A few weeks ago, I put words to paper in an effort to capture my mind and heart as they held my view of Jan. But alas the words were somehow lost and I must start again to share with you my perspective on the unique person we called by many names. She incredibly brightened the world for all; no matter the distance that separated us from her.
For me she was far more than my older sister, she was the strength that we all drew from, even when we did not realize we were; an ever bright example of perseverance and love and dedication. Being the oldest of six children caused life to be imposed on her, as a gentle child, bringing immediate responsibilities and knowledge that should have waited. No doubt the little girl deserved more, far more. As a big sister, she was the one that held me as a baby, encouraged me, lifted me when I fell, and softly wiped away the tears…she did this for me throughout her life. Describing Jan in words cannot begin to capture the magnificence of her soul and generosity of her being…kindness personified.
Jan, I cannot find the words and expression to describe my feelings for you and my admiration. All of those whose lives you touched must feel the same as we searched and grasped for the right words. God no doubt says to you now “well done my child.” Such is the simple eloquence that has meaning and will last in our memories of the wonderful person that blessed our lives.
Tears now fill my eyes as I know this is good bye but yet it is for only a short while. May your open arms and smile welcome me one day to heaven…then I will know for sure I am in heaven.
Eternal love, your baby brother.
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