Ellizabeth Morgan Obituary

A celebration of life service for Elizabeth "Betty" Joyce (Smidt) Morgan, 92, West Plains, Mo., will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at the First Presbyterian Church, 112 Aid Ave., West Plains. All friends and family are invited to attend.

Betty, affectionately known as "Dear" to her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and close friends, passed away June 19, 2024 in West Plains. Betty was born July 14, 1931, in California to Harry and Clara (Guenthner) Smidt. After the death of her father, Harry, the family moved back to Freeman, S.D., where they were originally from, to live with her grandparents and there, Betty attended school.

On Aug. 20, 1950, Betty married Edwin "Ted" Morgan, a teacher and high school coach from Wagner, S.D. The couple had four children Cynthia, Steven, Charles and Cathleen. Eventually Ted and Betty moved from South Dakota to St. Louis and later to Kansas City. Following Ted's retirement they moved to Mesa, Ariz., to be close to her brother Jim. After 10 years in Arizona, they returned to Missouri where they lived at the Lake of the Ozarks for several years. Betty was always the happiest when she was at the lake, especially when surrounded by her family. As Ted's health began to decline, they settled in West Plains.

Betty always had a zest for life and brought a sense of fun to holiday celebrations. She specialized in white elephant gifts, known to the family as "Dear Gifts." She loved family gatherings, whether it be with her own brothers and sisters or her children and grandchildren. With her brothers and sisters, she loved to reminisce about growing up in Freeman, usually laughing so hard their sides would ache.

Betty's favorite pastimes were moving and redecorating. She was always on the lookout for a new place to live, especially when she was at the lake. She loved to rearrange furniture, and never did you enter her home or even a home where she was visiting family that at least one piece of furniture wasn't moved into a different spot. Her shopping skills were phenomenal. She loved to shop at thrift stores and secondhand stores, but her home always looked like a decorator had done the job. She always said she could make a "silk purse out of a sow's ear" and she did.

Betty is preceded in death by her father Harry Smidt, her mother and stepfather Clara and Ferd Walter, husband Ted, daughter Cathy Poague, brother Harry Lee Smidt and wife Joyce, brother Jim Smidt and wife Tish, and brother Gary Walter.

She is survived by daughter Cindy Jamieson and husband Tom, son Steven Morgan and wife Terri, son Charles Morgan and wife Robin, and her sister Patricia Harmon and husband Ned, along with her 10 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers please consider a gift in memory of Elizabeth Morgan to The First Presbyterian Church, 112 Aid Ave., West Plains, MO 65775 or the charity "Sleep in Heavenly Peace" in which checks may be mailed to David Ball, 9901 County road 8530, West Plains, MO 65775 or through their website at www.shpbeds.org (click donate then MO West Plains chapter).