Morris Greer

Morris Greer, a positive, funny, generous, optimistic, and caring man, died from natural causes on August 2, 2025, in Byron, Georgia, with his family by his side. He was 92.

Throughout his life, in his roles as son, brother, father, husband, uncle, cousin, grandfather, sailor, storekeeper, and friend, Morris made it his mission to ensure those around him had a good day.

“Don’t worry about me, I’m good,” he told his family, even in his last days. Rather than ever complain, he joked and laughed. He sang and danced. Any lucky person who spent time with him witnessed the true art of enjoying every minute.

Born in his beloved Carbondale, Illinois, on October 12, 1933, to parents Horace Greer and Truley Collie Greer, Morris was a brother to 13 siblings. He received his education at Carbondale’s historic Attucks Schools, graduating in 1951. Named for Crispus Attucks who Martin Luther King Jr. called “one of the most important figures in African American history,” Attucks High School prided itself on its scholarship and student organizations in commerce, band, drama, speech, chorus, science, and student council. Attucks High School students were encouraged to participate in school programs and activities to help make them well-rounded people. Morris benefitted from this powerful and affirming education, becoming an intellectually curious and well-read citizen of the world, a shining legacy he left his children.

In 1952, at the age of 19, he enlisted in the United States Navy in Jacksonville, Florida, rising to the rank of E7, or Chief Petty Officer, and his eventual role as head chef, planning and supervising meals for hundreds of sailors. He was stationed in Illinois, California, Japan, Vietnam, and several other locations. He loved to tell stories about his cooking adventures in Japan and even enjoyed preparing some of his favorite soul food recipes for his fellow sailors. Jet magazine once featured a photo of Morris cooking up a pot of chitlins for his shipmates.

While in the Navy, he met Anna Lee Coger, a United States Naval Women’s Reserve WAVE, and they married on July 21,1956. Their three girls were born where Morris’s Navy career took them: Chandra in Queens, New York, Tammy in Great Lakes, Illinois, and Pamela in Long Beach, California. After his several overseas deployments of many months, there would be joyous reunions with Anna and the girls, greeting him at his ship as he disembarked. Anna made a home for the family wherever they went, settling at last in Benton Harbor, Michigan, where Morris continued his service as a Navy recruiter. Morris spent time teaching his daughters to fish, mow the lawn, and do repairs, skills he never considered as reserved for boys only.

No doubt because of his ever-present smile (and a certain beloved football player), Morris earned the nickname “Rosey” in the Navy. So, he and Anna soon opened Rosey’s Party Store, a well-known Benton Harbor fixture where, as always, Morris made sure a good time was had by all. Rosey’s was also famous for Anna’s delicious fish, with folks pleading for her secret recipe.

Morris married a second time, to Barbara Greer, and they lived in Carbondale. He helped Barbara raise her grandchildren, Kamaria Sutton and Dimitri Sutton.

Music soothed Morris’s soul. He had a deep appreciation for music of all genres. He loved playlists. Johnnie Taylor and Betty Wright never failed to get him up on his feet. His dancing skills were a highlight at his daughter Pamela’s wedding, where he also proudly showed off his grandchildren and great-grandchildren to fellow wedding guests. He surrounded his girls with music, including some of the country music he grew up with. Later in life, he was a gospel music enthusiast and sang along with CeCe Winans and others daily.

His enjoyment of life famously included Gunsmoke and Rifleman reruns on TV. Even though he’d seen every episode countless times, he laughed at the verbiage and colloquialisms on both shows. He enjoyed eating at Cracker Barrel, but still cooked every chance he got, and to this day his family talks about his unsurpassed gumbo, fried rice, navy beans, and burritos. Morris gave the shirt off his back to those in need a thousand times. He spread happiness by helping nieces and nephews with home repairs, by bringing gifts to friends and family from his travels, and by saying “Whatever you need!” when asked for help. That generous, sweet nature allowed him to have lifelong friends like Jimmy, his fishing buddy cousin Clayton, Chock Brown, and many others.

In his later years, Morris moved to Byron, Georgia, where his daughter Pamela, always “Boobie-Do” to him, supervised his care. His daily caretakers commented on how easy it was to be with Morris. The family is deeply grateful to Sherrica “Pinki”, Amy, and Kionna for their help and love.

Morris’s legacy was that he unwaveringly loved life and brightened the days of his people. His greatest accomplishment was simply going with the flow.

Morris is survived by his children Chandra Greer and her husband Steve Moravec, Tammy Greer, Pamela Ballard and her husband Donald Ballard, Kanessa Greer and Myron Jackson; his brother John Wayne Young; his sisters Shirley Thomas, Nancy Walker, Barbara Lemons, and Bernardine Greer-Reed; his grandchildren Maya, Eva, Cory, Laroy, Taishah, Journi, and Khari; his great-grandchildren Danaia, Deziree, Rory, Kaidence, Izeon, Lauren, Royal, Daniti, and Kambrielle; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents Horace and Truley; his first wife Anna, mother of Chandra, Tammy and Pamela; his wife Barbara; his brothers Harliss Greer, Bernard "Shot" Greer, Michael Greer, and Jesse Greer, his sisters Ramona Henderson, Norma Webb, Brenda Greer, and Jewel Greer; Dimitri Sutton, and other beloved relatives.

A celebration of Morris’s life, with military honors, will be held at New Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 803 Robert A Stalls Ave, Carbondale, Illinois, 62901, on Saturday, August 23, 2025, at 11 AM. A luncheon will be held after the service.

Ministry of Comfort Lovingly Entrusted to Southern Cremation and Burial Services of Murphysboro, Illinois.

As I sit in Heaven and watch you every day I try to let you know with signs that I never went away. I hear you when you’re laughing and watch you as you sleep, I even place my arms around you to calm you as you weep. I see you wish the days away, begging to have me home, So I try to send you signs so you know you’re not alone. Don’t feel guilty that you have life that was denied to me. Heaven is truly beautiful, just you wait and see. So live your life, laugh again, enjoy yourself, be free. Then I know with every breath you take You’ll be taking one for me.