Obituary of Bennie Willis Morrison

Mr. Bennie Willis Morrison, age 87, passed away at the Jackson-Madison County General Hospital in Jackson, TN. Graveside Funeral Services for Mr. Bennie will be held on Wednesday, January 6, 2021 at the Harmony Baptist Church Cemetery at 2:00 PM with Bro. Grover Westover officiating. There will be no visitation. Bennie Morrison was born September 26, 1933 to H.L. and Irene Morrison. He grew up and lived his life within two miles of his birthplace. He was born on the Coffey Farm in Haywood County, TN. He attended school at Central School in Hillville, TN and graduated from Haywood High School in Brownsville, TN. He attended Union University in Jackson, TN earning a bachelor’s degree in education and a Master of Education from Memphis State University in Memphis, TN. Bennie attended Harmony Baptist Church all his life. He was baptized in the Coffey Lake at an early age. He began leading the music at the church at age 17. He was the minister of music there until his passing. He also taught Sunday School at Harmony Baptist Church. Bennie was the music director at the church all his adult life. He taught all the children in the Jr. Choir every Sunday morning and Sunday night unless he was leading the music for another church or in a revival service somewhere else in West Tennessee. He began teaching school after college. He taught school and was principal of Anderson Grammar School until his retirement. He retired after 41 years in education. He coached basketball for many years at Anderson School. Bennie grew up on the farm. Although he did not work on the farm for a living, he was a farm boy. He grew up hunting and fishing. He loved rabbit hunting, squirrel hunting and deer hunting. He also loved to fish. Most of his hunting and fishing was done close to home in the Hatchie bottom area. He also enjoyed “piddling” with a small herd of cattle for most of his adult life. During his lifetime he never married. He served his community and the world as a teacher and educator and as the music director of Harmony Baptist Church. Bennie was preceded in death by his father, H.L. Morrison and his mother, Irene Edmonds Morrison. He is survived by his sister, Virginia Wolfe; two nephews, Charles “Leon” Wolfe, Stacey Wolfe; one niece Lorraine Wolfe, and a great niece, Mattea Wolfe, along with a host of other relatives and friends. Pallbearers for the service are Allen Garland, Steve McCool, Roscoe Greene, William Lane, Scottie Williams and Aaron Martin. Honorary Pallbearers are the members of the Ed Worsham Lodge #505 F & AM. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested memorials to the Harmony Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, c/o Judy Hardister, 523 Monroe St., Brownsville, TN 38012. All services and arrangements are under the direction of the Lea & Simmons Funeral Home in Brownsville, TN.