Willena Elizabeth Peebles Morris, age 84, a longtime resident of Charleston, Missouri, died October 14, 2013, at the University of Kansas Medical Center, at Kansas City, with her daughter and son-in-law by her side.

She was born December 24, 1928, in Belmont, Missouri, to the late Wallace Roberts and Adrienne Hattie Shaw Peebles. Elizabeth graduated from Anniston High School in 1946. After attending business school in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, she worked for a short time at the Bank of East Prairie. Later, she worked for Simpson Oil Company in Charleston and in the County Clerk's office in the Mississippi County Courthouse. She and her husband Mike worked together for many years at Morris Machine Shop in Charleston, retiring together in 1993.
Elizabeth, Ms. Liz or Aunt Liz to many, enjoyed spending time with family and friends. She loved fishing, golfing, square dancing, and water skiing because those activities allowed her to connect with family and dear friends. For years, Elizabeth and Mike enjoyed spending time at their trailer on Kentucky Lake and would frequently invite guests to either join them or to use their trailer. Elizabeth was active in the Charleston Chapter of the Eastern Star for many years where she had been Past Matron. She was a devoted member of the First Christian Church in Charleston where she was a faithful servant to God and her community. In her later years, she spent a lot of time reading, knitting and doing crossword puzzles.

Elizabeth married Charles L. "Mike" Morris on March 14, 1954. Elizabeth and Mike were married for 54 years until Mike passed away August 30, 2009.

She is survived by her daughter, Barbara Fern Morris Trousdale, and her husband Thad, who now live in Overland Park, Kansas. She is also survived by one sister, Barbara Peebles Marshall, of Wilmington, North Carolina, and was preceded in death by her brother, Wallace Shaw Peebles of Pinhook, Missouri.

Elizabeth is survived by many dear family members, including her sister-in-law Maudest Peebles, of East Prairie; her niece, Katy Garth, and family, Gary, Rebecca and Sara; her nephew, Robert Peebles of East Prairie, and family, Thomas and Adrienne; her niece Cheri Clabby of Wilmington, North Carolina, and family Tom and Tyler; and nephew John Marshall, of Williamsburg Virginia, and family Christy, Janna and Kierstan. She also leaves behind many dear friends and her church family in Charleston.

Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at the McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston where funeral services will be conducted at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, October 17, 2013. Rev. Jim Malugen, pastor of the First Christian Church in Charleston, will officiate.

Pallbearers will be: Robert Peebles, Gary Garth, Dewey Heppe , Phil Rowland Sam Babb and Richard Hutcheson.

Honorary Pallbearers will be: Robert Thomason, Bill Chambers, Charles Baugh.

Interment will follow in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery under the direction of the McMikle Funeral Home.

Online condolences may be shared at www.mcmiklefuneralhome.com

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting those wishing to remember and honor Elizabeth to donate blood, register as a bone marrow donor, or make a donation to the University of Kansas Cancer Center, who provided care and support to her.