---

Virginia Morris, age 88 of Chisago City, Minnesota, passed away from Alzheimer’s Disease May 4, 2020 at Parmly on the Lake in Chisago City.

Virginia was born on December 5, 1931 in Dallas Center, Iowa to parents Fred and Mabelle Tayler.  She married her high school sweetheart Raymond Morris on September 2, 1951 just weeks before Ray reported for Basic Training and an 18-month deployment in Germany.  Once Ray returned from the service, Virginia started setting-up house and raising their two children Melinda and Russell.  She returned to work years later to support their children’s college education.

She had many interests: cooking and baking, knitting, rosemaling, calligraphy, collecting, traveling, anything Victorian, sewing, cross-stitching, needlepoint, and decorating.  She also loved music.  She was a member of her church choir for over 40 years and sang in hundreds of weddings and funerals.  She directed the children’s choir at church for many years and sang in community choirs.

She especially enjoyed her four granddaughters and followed all their many school activities and special life events.  Some of her favorite experiences were inviting each, one at a time, to come stay with them for a week in the summer.  

In her later years Virginia was very involved in outreach.  Both Virginia and Ray worked with an inner-city breakfast program at Trinity Methodist in Des Moines.  They also worked on many Methodist Volunteer In Mission projects around the world including Russia, Guatemala, Jamaica, Granada, Panama, Belize and Alaska to name a few.

The couple moved to Point Pleasant in Chisago City, Minnesota in the spring of 2013 to be closer to their children.  Soon after they moved to Minnesota, Virginia and Ray joined the Giving Voice Chorus that met weekly at MacPhail Music Center in Minneapolis, the chorus was established specifically for persons with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers.  

Virginia is preceded in death by her parents; brother LaDean (Polly) Tayler, and sister Wyllodene (Anthony) Vulcano.

Virginia is survived by her husband Raymond, the love of her life, to whom she was married for 69 years; children Melinda (Luther) Berkeland and Russell (Diane) Morris; grandchildren Krista (Josh) Blessing, Anna Morris, Emily (Logan) Van Scoyk, and Andrea Berkeland; great grandchild Raymond Blessing; and many other relatives and friends.

Memorial services will be held at a later date.  Memorials are preferred to the Patron of the Arts fund at Trinity Lutheran Church, Lindstrom, Minnesota or Fairview Lakes Hospice, Chisago City, Minnesota or the Choir fund at Union Park United Methodist Church, Des Moines, Iowa.  Arrangements by Grandstrand Funeral Home in Lindstrom, Minnesota. Condolences may be expressed online at www.grandstrandfh.com

---