Helen White Holt Morrison

Helen White Holt Morrison was born on December 22, 1920 to Dr. Thomas Jefferson Holt and Helen White Holt in Warrenton, NC. She died peacefully at home surrounded by family on April 9, 2025 in Concord, NC.

Helen attended St. Mary's School in Raleigh, NC, Salem College, and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1941) at the age of 20. Visiting her college friend Ann Prewitt in Concord, NC, she met John Harris Morrison whom she married 5 months later as WWII began. After the war, she embraced life in Concord through the First Presbyterian Church, the Parnassus Book Club, bridge games, and the many friendships she made through her three children's activities: Little League, Pop Warner, Girl Scouts, and the Concord Spider teams. She was the quintessential 1950's wife and mother supporting her husband and children in every way while teaching them the benefits of a good education, a healthy lifestyle and traditional values. Her adherence to The Joy of Cooking made her a superb self-taught cook. A specialty was yellow cake with cooked fudge or caramel icing. She learned to play golf to prevent becoming a weekend golf widow. She took daily 2-mile walks and followed a low fat diet before it was the trend. Helen had many friends and encouraged her children to bring friends home, culminating in hosting a young Danish exchange student on his AFS year in 1960.

When her children grew up, she took numerous courses at Queens College in literature, history and religion. And when computers appeared, she bought an IBM and took programing and word processing classes. She became an accomplished competitor in bridge and played weekly games with the Concord Bridge Club and later the Lake Norman Bridge Club. When Covid 19 forced her to learn to play on-line bridge at age 99, she continued competing with her partner Frank Sellars and was recognized by the ACBL. Helen enjoyed her 6 pm cocktail (preferably a martini), the PBS News Hour, the New Yorker Magazine and a piece of chocolate.

Her curiosity and love of reading provided a sanctuary for quiet times at home. Helen's interest in history and civilizations prompted her to study and travel extensively to the ancient sites of Greece and Rome, many European countries and to most of the 50 states with an emphasis on National Parks. She read widely and gained a deep understanding and acceptance of the world and the diversity of people making her an excellent listener and conversationalist.

Helen was a devoted and active member of First Presbyterian Church for more than 80 years. Her legacy includes an endo ed fund for boarding life at St. Mary's School in Raleigh. At her death, she held the1ongest membership (75 years) in the National Society of the Colonial Dames in North Carolina, a group dedicated to historic preservation, history and education.

Her greatest pride came from raising a family who honored her with more family: Her three children, her eight grandchildren and her 23 great grandchildren gathered annually to celebrate her birthday each December. Known by some as Mammy and others as Mimi, she would toast them all with the words that "you all are my greatest accomplishment". The gifts she leaves to her family are the examples of graciousness, determination, resilience, good manners and her favorite, curiosity.In her quiet way, she was an extraordinary woman who was an inspiration to all who knew her.

Predeceased by her beloved husband of 63 years John, her parents, two brothers: Dr. Thomas Holt and Hugh White Holt, grand-daughter Molly, Helen is survived by her sons John (Peg), Hugh (Mary Margaret) of Concord, and daughter Margaret Hamilton (Jeff) of Wilmington, grandchildren: Holt (Anne), Harris (Kate), Knox (Betsy), Hunter of Concord; Margaret Bradley (Waldo), Helen Collins (Ben), Caroline Langerman (Eric) of Charlotte; Jeff Hamilton, Jr. (Katie) of Brookline, MA. And her 23 great grandchildren: Anna Ruth, Molly, Hugh, Carter, Lawrence, Edward, John, Katherine, Margaret, Grace, Eliza, Judd, Maggie, Ike, William, Jack, Helen, John, Margaret, Louisa, Winn, James, and Ellie.

Deep appreciation is given to her team of wonderful caregivers, and especially, Deborah Hayden, Frances Ford, Nicole Armstrong and Cathy Tallent.

A service of remembrance and celebration will be held on May 11, 2025 at First Presbyterian Church, Concord.

Gift's in Helen's memory may be made to First Presbyterian Church of Concord, https:// firstpresconcord.org/, or the Greater Cabarrus Foundation, https://greatercabarrusfoundation.org/, or a charity of your choice.