Clara “Berniece” Morris was born April 22, 1929 in Hobart, Oklahoma to Emil and Clara (Freyer) Weber. She went home to Heaven on October 16, 2026. She grew up working on her parent’s farm in southwest Oklahoma, where at 19 years old she fell in love and married their skinny, curly headed farm hand, Scotty Morris on April 8, 1949 at Salem Baptist Church in Gotebo, Oklahoma. Scotty and Berniece had a loving, happy marriage of 67+ years until Scotty’s death in 2016. Their children Rita Haugh, Rosemary Pyle and Twila Rohring are eternally grateful for the example of their godly marriage and heritage of unwavering faith in God.

A few little snippets about Berniece-

Berniece was always concerned about how her decisions would affect others, putting their needs before her own. She just didn’t want to inconvenience anyone. She was selfless and loving. For Berniece gratitude was a habit of choice. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 was written on her heart - “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”She chose to look at the world and find all the good with a feeling of appreciation regardless of self and her personal situation. Gratitude was her way of life. It was her heart-centered approach to be at peace. She often asked, “why is God so good to me?”

Berniece loved her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren with every fiber of her being. She prayed for each one by name weekly. She believed in the peace and knowledge found daily in the words of her Heavenly Father reading her Bible daily. 

Berniece Morris’ focus in her life on earth was Heaven, and she had an insatiable thirst to point others toward Jesus. She was faithful in sharing Christ in her posts on Facebook. She was a prayer warrior and wanted you to share your needs with her so she could pray for you. Her message was reflected in the words of a song she loved, “Pass It On - It only takes a spark to get a fire going and soon all those around can warm up to its glowing. That’s how it is with God’s love, once you’ve experienced it you spread his love to everyone; you want to pass it on. I’ll shout it from the mountaintop. I want my world to know. The Lord of love has come to me, I want to pass it on.” 

Her daughter Rosemary lived with her for 17 years. And for 2 years her daughter Rita lived with them too. Berniece took joy in getting up early each morning and cooking breakfast for Rosemary and Rita. She enjoyed having them in the house and was so grateful she was never alone.

She taught 6th grade girls in Sunday School for many years, enjoying how she could guide the girls toward their walk with Christ as they began their teenage years. 

Berniece loved to sing and was a member of the choir at both First Baptist Church and later Northeast Baptist Church. She and her late husband, Scotty were founding members of Northeast Baptist Church in 1985. 

She and Scotty began working for State Farm Insurance in 1958, starting their business with an office in their garage on Dale Street in Norman. Within two years they opened an office at 1200 N Flood where they sold insurance for 15 years to clients who became lifelong friends. In 1972 they left State Farm and Berniece went to work for Coker-Caudill Insurance. In 1982 she and Scotty joined forces in business once again opening their own independent insurance agency, BeST Insurance until they retired in 1992. 

Scotty and Berniece took great pride in their work with the Union Baptist Association Mission Builders. From 1992-2002 they helped frame church buildings in Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Alabama, Canada and Oregon. Many stories were told with great joy of their time and friendships with Mission Builders. 

During their retirement years Berniece and Scotty enjoyed working as ticket takers for the OU Basketball games for 15 years. They never met a stranger during those years as they seemed to know most everyone in town or at least carried their insurance at one time or another. 

In the summer of 1999, to celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary Scotty and Berniece took a 30 day train trip traveling from Fort Worth to LA to Oregan to Canada to Niagara Falls to New York and finally to Washington DC. Scotty was so excited about their train tickets that during a tornado warning that spring he took the tickets with them to the cellar. 

Berniece is survived by her sisters-in-law, Mary Isaac and Jeanne Morris. Her daughters, Rita Haugh, Rosemary Pyle, Twila Rohring and her husband Dan. Her 7 grandchildren and their spouses, Jennifer and Doug Howeth, Cory Bagby, Amy and Matt Duff, Jason and Sara Pyle, Zack and Holly Rohring, Tyler Rohring and Morgan and Daniel Nix. Plus the absolute delights of her life, her 9 great-grandchildren.

Berniece was preceded in death by her husband, Scotty Morris, daughter, Terri, parents, Emil and Clara Weber, granddaughter, Tiffany Bagby, sister, Ovella Farris and son-in-law, Danny Haugh. 

Any donations in her memory please send to Northeast Baptist Church @905 NE Rock Creek Rd. Norman, OK 73071(405) 366-8391 or email Giving@nebaptist.com 

A celebration of life will be 10am Friday October 23, 2026 at NE Baptist Church in Norman with interment following at Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery.