1951
Tennes
2024
Tennes Morris
March 12, 1951 — November 9, 2024
It is with great sadness that the family of Tennes Ray Morris, Jr. announce his passing. Tennes was an honest, hard-working, and kind man who loved giving gifts to his family and adored his dogs. He passed away at Swedish American Hospital in Rockford, Illinois after a battle with a respiratory illness and infection.
Tennes was born on March 12, 1951, in Zion, Illinois to parents Tennes Ray Morris, Sr. and Marlene Lorraine Morris. He was the oldest of their four children. When he was a child, the family moved to Rockford, Illinois where he grew up on the South side. He went to Auburn High School in Rockford and enlisted in the Marines at seventeen years of age. He was disappointed that he had to be honorably discharged after a short period of time because of a problem with his ear drum. At eighteen years of age, he met Caroline Smith at the roller-skating rink, and it was love at first sight. Tennes and Caroline were married on March 21, 1970. His sweet wife and mother of his three dear children loved her husband deeply.
All his life, Tennes was highly skilled with mechanical things. From the model cars that he loved to assemble as a child, to the motorcycles that he raced as a teenager, to the many, many cars that he overhauled or repaired for those that he loved. In his spare time, Tennes could often be found in the garage with his father - grease up to his elbows, a wrench in his hand, a cigar in his mouth, and a smile in his eyes.
When Tennes wasn't working hard, he also really enjoyed doing some fishing. Over the years he spent a lot of good times fishing with his dad or with his kids. His children have good memories of fishing with their dad or cruising up and down the Rock River in his boat. His little brother Joe has a great memory of fishing with Tennes one day as a kid when he found himself stuck so deeply in the mud that he couldn't move. Tennes grabbed little Joe and pulled him right up out of the mud and even right out of his shoes! After carrying Joe quite a distance to a safe spot, Tennes then went back and got his brother’s shoes unstuck from the mud.
Tennes is remembered by his family as a kind and generous man with a good sense of humor. His sister, Marie, recalls how much he loved to play jokes on people, especially her. His other sister, Tammy, fondly recalls when she was 10 or 11 years old and had her heart set on a shiny purple stingray bicycle at the hardware store close to their home and how Tennes used his tax return money to buy his little sister that bike. Tennes’ generosity even moved him to share his home during the last years of his life with his daughter Sadie and her family, which gave him a very loving bond with his son-in-law, Drew, and his youngest grandson, Aiden.
Tennes is survived by his wife Caroline Morris, daughter Sundown (Mike) Linley, son Tennes (Chrissy) Morris, daughter Sadie (Drew) Wright, father Tennes Morris, Sr., sister Marie (Larry) Vyborny, sister Tammy (Joe) Thompson, brother Joe (Carmen) Morris, grandchildren Connor and Nathaniel Linley; Maggie, TR, Collin, and Abby Morris; and Aiden Wright. He is predeceased by his mother Marlene Morris and his beloved dog Sadie.
Stateline Cremations is assisting the family, 6204 Forest Hills Rd., Loves Park, IL 61111. www.statelinecremations.com
Tennes was born on March 12, 1951, in Zion, Illinois to parents Tennes Ray Morris, Sr. and Marlene Lorraine Morris. He was the oldest of their four children. When he was a child, the family moved to Rockford, Illinois where he grew up on the South side. He went to Auburn High School in Rockford and enlisted in the Marines at seventeen years of age. He was disappointed that he had to be honorably discharged after a short period of time because of a problem with his ear drum. At eighteen years of age, he met Caroline Smith at the roller-skating rink, and it was love at first sight. Tennes and Caroline were married on March 21, 1970. His sweet wife and mother of his three dear children loved her husband deeply.
All his life, Tennes was highly skilled with mechanical things. From the model cars that he loved to assemble as a child, to the motorcycles that he raced as a teenager, to the many, many cars that he overhauled or repaired for those that he loved. In his spare time, Tennes could often be found in the garage with his father - grease up to his elbows, a wrench in his hand, a cigar in his mouth, and a smile in his eyes.
When Tennes wasn't working hard, he also really enjoyed doing some fishing. Over the years he spent a lot of good times fishing with his dad or with his kids. His children have good memories of fishing with their dad or cruising up and down the Rock River in his boat. His little brother Joe has a great memory of fishing with Tennes one day as a kid when he found himself stuck so deeply in the mud that he couldn't move. Tennes grabbed little Joe and pulled him right up out of the mud and even right out of his shoes! After carrying Joe quite a distance to a safe spot, Tennes then went back and got his brother’s shoes unstuck from the mud.
Tennes is remembered by his family as a kind and generous man with a good sense of humor. His sister, Marie, recalls how much he loved to play jokes on people, especially her. His other sister, Tammy, fondly recalls when she was 10 or 11 years old and had her heart set on a shiny purple stingray bicycle at the hardware store close to their home and how Tennes used his tax return money to buy his little sister that bike. Tennes’ generosity even moved him to share his home during the last years of his life with his daughter Sadie and her family, which gave him a very loving bond with his son-in-law, Drew, and his youngest grandson, Aiden.
Tennes is survived by his wife Caroline Morris, daughter Sundown (Mike) Linley, son Tennes (Chrissy) Morris, daughter Sadie (Drew) Wright, father Tennes Morris, Sr., sister Marie (Larry) Vyborny, sister Tammy (Joe) Thompson, brother Joe (Carmen) Morris, grandchildren Connor and Nathaniel Linley; Maggie, TR, Collin, and Abby Morris; and Aiden Wright. He is predeceased by his mother Marlene Morris and his beloved dog Sadie.
Stateline Cremations is assisting the family, 6204 Forest Hills Rd., Loves Park, IL 61111. www.statelinecremations.com
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