Hilda Kent Morris

Hilda Kent Morris, age 96 of Rocky Mount passed away December 11, 2016. She was born the fifth of seven children July 8, 1920 to Robert Lee Kent and Rose Martin Kent in Wirtz, Va. She was born in the upstairs apartment of the country store, which her father owned. Hilda and her siblings attended school at a two room building. They rode the train to school until her younger brother Page was ready for high school. After graduating in 1937, Hilda enrolled in the College of William and Mary but transferred to Madison College where she received a bachelor’s degree in Home Economics in 1941 shortly before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Hilda moved to Washington DC in 1942 to work for the FBI. While there, she learned many things including how to code and decode messages to agents out of the country. After being transferred to New York and living there for a while, she came back home to Rocky Mount where her father was operating the theater. Hilda then started work at Lee Telephone Co. where she managed the office. Her friend set her up on a blind date with Elbert Dudley Morris who she would eventually marry. They had two wonderful sons and ran the Steakhouse Restaurant and motel. Hilda is survived by two sons August “Gus” Morris and Rodney Kent Morris; grandchildren Edwin Kent Morris, Jackson Edward Morris and Prudence Hebert; great-grandchildren Jackson Tyler Morris, Nicole Thurman, Trevor Hebert and Alexis Hebert. Graveside services will be conducted from the Mausoleum at Franklin Memorial Park 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, December 14, 2016 with Rev. Will Waller officiating. Her family will be receiving friends Tuesday evening from 5-7 p.m. at Lynch Conner-Bowman Funeral Home (Town Chapel) 140 Floyd Ave., Rocky Mount. (540)483-5533