Karen McQuaig Morris

Karen Morris, age 71, of Gulf Breeze, Florida, passed away peacefully at home on November 3, surrounded by her loving husband, Terry, and devoted daughters Regan, Kristin, and Caroline.

Karen’s early years were spent in Brunswick, Georgia with her parents, Leonard and Hazel, and her sister Kathy. Close in age, the two shared an unbreakable bond and countless stories that have been fondly retold over the years, some about their creative disagreements, but many more about their lifelong closeness.

After high school, Karen enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where she proudly became one of the first female Avionics Technicians. Following her honorable discharge, she held various jobs before beginning work at Fort Frederica National Monument. It was there she met Terry, and the two soon married.

Karen spent most of her career as an Administrative Assistant with the National Park Service on the Blue Ridge Parkway. In 1996, she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and retired, but MS never slowed her boundless curiosity and lifelong dedication to learning. Exceptionally intelligent and inquisitive, Karen’s mother often remarked that, as a child, she even read the dictionary for fun!

She developed deep interests in Egyptology and Zoology and took Anthropology courses at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, cherishing every moment of them. She was also passionate about genealogy, meticulously researching and documenting her family’s history for generations back.

Karen had a tender heart for animals of all kinds and will be overjoyed to reunite with the family’s many beloved pets. Her love of jewelry (Terry often joked, “She’s a crow!” because she was drawn to anything shiny) brought sparkle to her life. Her lifelong affection for anything Disney or Christmas kept her childlike wonder alive.

Karen was preceded in death by her father, Leonard McQuaig. She is survived by her husband, Terry Morris; daughters Regan (Geoff) Wood, Kristin Morris, and Caroline Morris; mother, Hazel McQuaig; sister, Kathy Cooper; and grandchildren, Gibson and Crosby Wood. She is also survived by many loving cousins, sisters- and brothers-in-law, nieces, and nephews. She will be greatly missed by all.

A celebration of life will be held in Brunswick, Georgia in the near future. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to National MS Society or National Park Foundation.

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