Margaret Derbyshire Morris

Margaret Derbyshire Morris, our dear mother, grandmother and great grandmother passed away peacefully on November 3, 2024, in Stansbury Park, Utah. She was 97 years old.

Born on October 12, 1927, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Joseph Derbyshire and Edith Marietta Jensen Derbyshire, Margaret was the fourth of seven children. She married Elliot Cobia Morris on January 6, 1950, in the Salt Lake Temple.

Margaret graduated from South High School in Salt Lake City and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in History and Education from the University of Utah in 1949. She dedicated her career to education, teaching in Utah, California, and Virginia. Later, she pursued a Master's Degree in Education and Library Science from Northern Arizona University and served as a school librarian at Weitzel Elementary in Flagstaff, Arizona for 20 years.

A lifelong learner, Margaret was passionate about history and travel. She and her husband, Elliot, travelled to numerous countries and visited all 50 U.S. states. Their 1968 visit to Czechoslovakia during the Soviet invasion left a lasting impression. In May 2017 Margaret achieved her goal of visiting every state capitol in the United States, visiting the Michigan capitol in Lansing, and was honored by the State's governor for her achievement. 

In addition to her love of learning, Margaret enjoyed reading and writing poetry, coin collecting, gardening, cycling and baseball - an avid, life-long fan of the San Francisco Giants. She was a dedicated member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served faithfully in various callings, including Relief Society President, Primary President, and teacher. She and Elliot also served a full-time LDS mission in Massachusetts.

Margaret was preceded in death by her husband, Elliot. She is survived by her sister Janice Derbyshire, her three children: Elliot K. Morris (Doris), Loree Morris, and Nancy Morris Pollini (Gianluca); eight granddaughters; and twelve great-grandchildren. 

An evening viewing will be held on Friday, November 8, 2024, from 6:00 – 8:00 PM at Memorial Redwood Mortuary and Cemetery 6500 South Redwood Road, West Jordan, Utah 84123. Funeral services will take place on Saturday, November 9, 2024, at 1:00 PM with viewing one-hour prior beginning at 12:00 PM at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 5899 Bayshore Drive, Stansbury Park, Utah 84074. Interment will take place at Memorial Redwood Mortuary and Cemetery next to her sweetheart, Elliot.