Beloved middle school history teacher shaped many lives

Selfless, cheerful, kind, loving, positive attitude, passionate educator, Christian, dog lover, dedicated, heart of gold. These are just a few words I think of that describe Tessie Jo Morris.

The retired educator died on Nov. 25 following a brief but brave battle with cancer.

Ms. Jo, as I called her, was full of love, kindness, and personality. Her laughter, smile and sense of humor were contagious. She could put a smile on anyone’s face, even if they were sad. You couldn’t help but be in a good mood around her.

Ms. Jo was not only family, but also one of my favorite former teachers.

Her late husband Bruce was my dad’s cousin. Mr. Bruce’s mother, the late Betty Ann Morris, was the daughter of Clyde Vickery, who was the brother of my great-grandfather, the late Lloyd Charles Vickery Sr.

The family lineage might not be of interest to the average reader, but I know Ms. Jo would appreciate those details. You see, she loved history. That’s why she dedicated nearly 40 years to sharing her passion with students as an eighth-grade history teacher in Barnwell and Allendale.

I spent many, many hours at her house when her daughter Courtney and I were growing up. In the eighth grade, I spent many hours in her Guinyard-Butler Middle School classroom as a student.

Ms. Jo had high expectations for her students. She could be tough, and she didn’t put up with nonsense. However, she also made learning and history fun and interesting. I remember playing "The Oregon Trail" computer game as part of a lesson.

On September 11, 2001, her class is where I watched what would become one of the more tragic days in our nation’s history play out - the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

As we watched planes be deliberately crashed into the Twin Towers and the other tragic events unfold on television, so many questions filled my young mind. Why was this happening? What about those poor people on the planes and inside the buildings? From sadness for the victims and their families to anger over what was happening, I was filled with many emotions, just as my classmates were.

Thankfully, we had Ms. Jo to comfort our class during those scary, uncertain times. We knew we were safe with Ms. Jo around. I know she must have been filled with the same emotions and questions, but she didn’t let that show. She put her students’ needs ahead of her own.

Putting others first was just who Ms. Jo was. She was selfless. Even as cancer ravaged her body and she knew her days were limited, Ms. Jo still thought of others first. One of the speakers at her funeral recalled how Ms. Jo was asking about other people’s needs, even as she lay in a hospital bed. She also maintained her smile until the end.

Ms. Jo was not scared of death. Why? Because she was confident in her Christian faith and knew she was going to heaven, where she’d be reunited with the love of her life and other loved ones.

Though she’s gone physically from this earth, I know Ms. Jo’s memory lives on through her loved ones, friends, former colleagues, and the countless students she taught throughout her nearly 40-year career.

For those who knew and loved her, she’s part of our life history. Her impact will forever shape our futures.