Betty Jean Morris

Betty Jean Morris entered earthly life on March 20, 1922 in Vinita, Oklahoma. She entered eternal life on August 15, 2013 in Torrance, California at the age of ninety-one.

She spent her early years in Oklahoma where she was taught by her father, William Clark, grandmother, aunt and uncle about her Native American heritage through pictures, family gatherings and especially story telling. She was a proud tribal member of the Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Her mother, Eva, taught her about her Christian faith and inspired her to a life-long love of sewing beautiful clothes and costume creation.

Betty and her family relocated to Kansas City, Missouri where they lived during the Great Depression. She excelled in school at creative writing, music, dance, swimming, gymnastics and sports. One of the gifts her family shared was music, which lead her and her two sisters to a local radio show where they were the featured singers, The Kayne Sisters. Soon after graduating from high school, the trio began to tour the vaudeville circuit, eventually performing in every state in the contiguous United States, including a stint at the storied Palace Theater.

The Kayne Sisters were recruited by the USO and were selected by entertainer Ted Lewis to join his troupe headed overseas to Europe. There they sang for the Greatest Generation, in England, France, Belgium, Austria, and were in Germany the week WWII was ended in Europe. Her experiences while traveling with General George Patton's Third Army Unit, where she witnessed the best and worst of what people are capable of, shaped her values and strengthened her Christian faith for the rest of her life.

The Kayne Sisters accompanied Ted Lewis and his Orchestra to Asia upon their return from Europe. They performed for the troupes in Japan, the Philippines, Hawaii and Guam.

Betty, her sisters, and parents became part of the migration of mid-westerners to California after WWII. She met and married James E. Morris and started a family. The Kayne Sisters continued their work for the USO, performing locally and in the Bay Area for the likes of General Dwight Eisenhower and General Omar Bradley. They became a featured act at the original Golden Nugget during the early days of Las Vegas.

During her children's school years Betty created beautiful costumes for plays, musicals, and epic Halloween costumes, which won;Best every year at any contest where they were proudly worn.  She worked enthusiastically in the local PTA and provided entertainment, organized parties, and created hand-sewn toys and novelties for the students in her children's classrooms.

Betty shared her talent for music, dance, writing, and costume creation with her children and grandchildren, inspiring them to continue that tradition of education and participation in the arts.

She entered the retail industry and was a long-time employee of the Montgomery Ward Company. She was honored with awards and recognition for her enthusiasm, spirit and work ethic. During this time she also shared her talents as an actor, singer, dancer and costume designer at Chapel Theater and Torrance Community Theater, where she made life-long friends.

Betty was inspired to tap her writing talents and completed several books. Her characters were many and varied. An epic romance played out in the Big Sky country of Montana, the life and times of a seasoned circus dare-devil, a Chinese general and his American sweetheart's struggles during the birth of the Communist regime, and a semi-autobiography which told the story of a USO performer in Europe during WWII who meets a childhood friend during the war and discovers his involvement in espionage with the French resistance, too name only a few.  Her characters and their stories reflected her love of adventure, action and most of all, romance.

During her later years Betty continued to entertain and became a regular performer at the Wildomar Senior Living community where she resided the last ten years of her life. She formed and directed her beloved women's singing group;The Hummingbirds; They sang at birthday parties, anniversaries and special events and were a welcome sight and sound on Valentine's Day when they delivered;singing telegrams; to delighted residents at the assisted living center.


Betty's gift was bringing joy and inspiration to her family and to those who needed a smile or a song.

She fulfilled a life-long desire on June 29, 2013 when she received the Sacraments and became a full member of the Roman Catholic Church.

She was preceded into eternal life by her father, William Clark Payne, her mother, Eva Adeline (Wells), sister Norma Lea Keane, and sister Anna Mae Lubahn.

She is survived by her loving family which includes daughters Laura Lea Porter (Dave), Margaret Anne Evans (Marc); grandchildren Joshua Aaron Couveau (Cynthia), Sean Michael Couveau (Renee), Veronica Jean Harwell (Dennis Alvillar) and Sierra Griffin Evans; great-grandchildren, Kylee, Seth, and Dennis, nieces and a nephew.

Her ashes will be scattered at sea as was her wish.

Donations may be made in her honor to the Bob Hope/USO Headquarters at LAX.

God make my life a little light,


Within the world to glow,


A little flame that burneth bright


Wherever I may go.


God make my life a little flower,


That giveth joy to all,


Content to bloom in native bower,


Although its place be small.


God make my life a little song,


That comforteth the sad,


That helpeth others to be strong,


And makes the singer glad.


God make my life a little staff,


Whereon the weak may rest,


That so what health and strength I have,


May serve my neighbor best.


God make my life a little hymn,


Of tenderness and praise,


Of faith that never waxeth dim,


In all His wondrous ways.


                                    


--Mathilda Edwards, 1873