Obituary of Elsie Emilie Morris
Elsie Emilie Morris (née Trips), 90, passed away peacefully on February 4, 2026, at Mira Vie Assisted Living in Belvidere, New Jersey.
Elsie was born in Liberty, New York, to Adolph Trips Jr. and Mary (Yuill) Trips. She grew up in Ferndale, NY, where her family operated a small dairy farm with 12 to 13 cows. From an early age, Elsie developed a lifelong love of dairy cows and farming; one of her beloved cows even won Best in Show at the State Fair—an achievement she remained proud of throughout her life.
Elsie earned her Bachelor’s degree from Kingston College and went on to dedicate her career to nursing, a profession she truly loved and never considered “just a job.” She worked as a registered nurse at St. Clare’s Hospital in Denville, New Jersey, where she cared deeply for her patients and colleagues until her retirement in 1997.
She lived in Rockaway, New Jersey, for 60 years, where she raised her family and built a life filled with creativity, service, and love. Elsie was an accomplished classical piano player and found joy in music throughout her life. She was also a gifted quilter, lovingly making quilts for each of her grandchildren, and she took great pleasure in canning vegetables—skills rooted in her farming upbringing.
Elsie was predeceased by her devoted husband of 65 years, Robert E. Morris, in 2024, and by her sister, Mary Elmore, in 2025.
She is survived by her children: Nancy Mennen of Hackettstown, NJ; Susan and Mark Danilack of Nashville, TN; Robert S. and Janine Morris of Middle Grove, NY; and Mary Morris of Lanoka Harbor, NJ. She is also survived by her cherished grandchildren: Christine and Anwar Yousef; Shawn Mennen; Kathryn Mennen; Sarah Mennen; Alexandra Mennen; Lindsey and Gabe Chrismon; Andrew Danilack; Paul Danilack and Timothy Rubino; Maureen and Henry Feng; Frank R. Davis; and Carina “Bina” Davis. Elsie was a proud great-grandmother to Kaden Yousef, David Yousef, Selma Yousef, Margo Feng, Hailey Belford, and Hannah Belford.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, February 21, 2026, from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM, followed by a funeral service at 2:00 PM, at Norman Dean Home for Services, 16 Righter Avenue, Denville, NJ 07834. Arrangements are under the direction of Norman Dean Home for Services. For additional information, please visit www.normandean.com.
Elsie will be remembered for her kindness, dedication to caring for others, creative spirit, and deep love for her family. Her legacy of compassion and service lives on in all who knew her.
