Winfred Hance Morton Jr.

    Services for Winfred Hance “Moody” Morton Jr. will be held Friday, at 11:30 a.m., at Robert Barham Family Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Alan Singletary officiating. Burial will be in the Mississippi Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Newton, with Robert Barham Family Funeral Home in charge of the arrangements.

    Mr. Morton, 81, died of respiratory failure and went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012, at The Veterans Home in Jackson. He was known affectionately by his friends as “Moody”, by his caregivers as “Winnie” and by his relatives as “Sonny”. Mr. Morton was born on Nov. 16, 1930 in Meridian to Winfred Hance and Eula Mae Turnage Morton. He graduated from Meridian High School in 1949 and graduated from Auburn University of Architecture in 1957. Mr. Morton married his childhood sweetheart, Janelle Pickard in 1951. They had three daughters: Jenny Lynn, Tina and Gay, whom he adored until life’s end. He worked as an architect for Clopton and Associates in Meridian, and Oscar Woody and Associates in Pensacola, Fla. Mr. Morton also taught watercolor at Auburn University and taught mechanical drawing at Meridian High School. Mr. Morton was a very talented architect of contemporary flair design, an expert watercolorist and sketch artist. His favorite hobbies were painting, building model airplanes, playing jazz piano, tennis, billiards and difficult crossword puzzles. Mr. Morton loved all animals and named every living thing according to its personality. “Shady Grady” the cat, now 15 years old, lives with Mr. Morton’s daughter until he can join his Master in Heaven.

    He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War as a Sergeant in Sonny Montgomery’s 198th Tank Battalion in Columbia, S.C. He was a lifelong member of East End United Methodist Church in Meridian and was also a member of the Hamasa Shriners and sang with the Chanters.

    Survivors include the mother of his children, Janelle Pickard Morton; daughters: Jenny Lynn Taylor and her husband Jimmy, Tina Sexton and her husband Jimmy, and Gay Tadlock and her husband Danny; grandchildren: Olivia Taylor, Jet, Kayli and Harley Sexton, and Barry, Brock and Branson Tadlock; sister, Margie Stephens and her husband Edward; sister-in-law, Myrna Pickard; his aunt, Eloise Turnage; nieces and nephews: Edward Steve Stephens, Mark Stephens, Beth Stephens Brown, Kim Morton Garrett, Chris Morton and Bobby Dale Pickard; and, numerous cousins.

    He was preceded in death by his parents, Winfred Hance and Eula Mae Turnage Morton; his brother, Albert; and his brother-in-law, Bobby Ray Pickard.

    The family wishes to thank the staff of the Veterans Home of Jackson and all of the wonderful caring nurses, aides, therapists, administrative staff and Dr. Coughlin who loved and cared for Mr. Morton for many years. Also, a special thank you to Bill and Brenda Duckworth for their spiritual guidance and ministry. In the final days, Mr. Morton received additional loving, tender care from Gentiva/Odyssey Health Care (Latasha, Stacy and Sari) and all of the staff of Regency Hospital in Meridian for their special care during his stay. We will be eternally grateful to every person who had a kind word or gentle touch, that made Mr. Morton and his family feel truly loved. May God bless you all.

    Memorial contributions may be made to The Shriners Hospital for Children at shrinershospitalforchildren.org.

    Pallbearers will be Mr. Morton’s grandsons.

    Family and friends may sign the online guest book at robertbarhamffh.com.

    Visitation will be Friday, one hour prior to services at the funeral home.