KINGSTON, R.I. — June 30, 2004 — North Kingstown鈥檚 Eleanor Milner Morris will tell you that her idea for an endowed scholarship for single mothers attending the 溏心vlog免费B站 came out of the clear blue sky.
But if you have the chance to chat with her for a few minutes, you鈥檒l learn that she once took in babies from the Sophia Little Home for Unwed Mothers.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know, maybe that experience played a role,鈥� said Morris, 88, who grew up and lived much of her life in the Norwood section of Warwick.
Because the endowment will be funded through her estate, Morris became one of the newest members of 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 1892 Society, which was established 25 years ago to recognize individuals who have made 溏心vlog免费B站 part of their estate plans. She and others were honored at a recent reception at the president鈥檚 house. 鈥淚t was great to meet President Carothers and talk with him,鈥� she said.
Wade Wilks, 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 director of planned giving said Morris is 鈥渁 delightful lady who has been a caregiver for a good part of her life. A very independent woman, she clearly recognizes how difficult it is for single mothers to continue or complete their education.鈥�
Wilks said the endowment will benefit single mothers at the Feinstein College of Continuing Education.
鈥淚t just dawned on me out of a clear blue sky this is what I could do to help the University and people who need it most,鈥� Morris said. 鈥淪ometimes these women have to drop out of school, and then they need help getting back to school. Sometimes the world can be a little hard on these women, and so I thought the moms and their children could use a little assistance.鈥�
Morris, who worked with Sophia Little for five years when she was between jobs, is used to caring for people. She also can relate to people鈥檚 suffering because of her own experiences. She lost her first husband, Ralph Armstrong after 18 years of marriage to a heart attack and her second husband, George N. Morris, died after they had been married 36 years. She cared for her late sister for 20 years who became paralyzed after suffering a brain aneurysm, her late brother-in-law and her late mother, Waity Milner, who lived to 103.
鈥淚 guess I have always been busy,鈥� said Morris who also traveled extensively to China, Alaska, Canada, Mexico, South America, Spain, Portugal, the Rhine River and Denmark.
A graduate of the home economics program at 溏心vlog免费B站, she started her career as a cookery demonstrator at Narragansett Electric and later became a secretary in the buyer鈥檚 office at the utility. After leaving Narragansett Electric, she worked with the Sophia Little Home, then at General Electric for the next 30 years as a secretary.
Amazingly, throughout the years, she volunteered in other areas as well. For example, at the Norwood Baptist Church, she was president of the Mothers鈥� Club, served on various committees and held the vice president鈥檚 post.
She also was one of the founders of East Greenwich Leisure Learning, one of the few organizations of its kind still active in the state. The group meets for six weeks in both the spring and the fall to listen to a variety of speakers, including several from 溏心vlog免费B站. Morris served as vice president and then became the president for seven years. 鈥淲e built our membership from 35 to 132,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e are one of the most active groups of its kind.鈥�
So what鈥檚 next for Morris? She鈥檒l continue to be active in her church, and serve East Greenwich Leisure Learning as president emerita.
But what鈥檚 most on her mind is a little baby she treasured and nurtured many years ago from the Sophia Little Home. 鈥淭hrough the efforts of a friend, I am going to have a chance to see her again. That little baby is now 55 years old. Can you imagine?鈥� she said with a sense of awe.