Beloved mother and grandmother, Kara Lea Morris, 86, passed peacefully at her home in Kennewick surrounded by family on November 8, 2023. Kara was born January 5, 1937 to Callie Kate Elston in Davenport after arriving at the midwife's home by horse drawn sleigh driven by her father, Raymond A. Elston, on a snowy day. Her first 6 years she lived with her parents on a ranch south of Creston with no running water or electricity. In 1943 her parents purchased a 40 acre farm in Mead where she lived and attended school for 12 years, graduating in 1955 from Mead High School.

She often talked of her adventurous trip at age 18 to the Fred Waring Music Workshop in Pennsylvania where their ensemble had the opportunity to perform with the Fred Waring Singers. While attending Eastern Washington State College, in Cheney, she met her future husband of 63 years, Hollis Morris, on a blind date at a dance. They were later married at Hillyard United Methodist Church in 1957 the day after she returned from working in a lookout tower on Mt. Spokane that summer. While living in married student housing, their first child, Victor, was born in 1958. After moving to Sunnyside, their children, Alan and Karolyn were born in 1959 and 1961. The family moved to Kennewick in 1962 where Ron, their fourth child was born in 1966. While raising a family, Kara performed in several vocal groups throughout the years, including The Columbia Chorale and her church choir where she was an active member at Kennewick First United Methodist Church for almost 60 years volunteering for countless activities and music performances. She also taught piano throughout the years in her home.

In 1980 she completed her Bachelor's in Education from Central Washington University and was a pre-school teacher and substitute teacher in the Kennewick and Pasco School Districts. She was also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

In addition to raising their own children, Kara and Hollis hosted several foreign students and she volunteered to go to Japan to chaperone dozens of American high school exchange students returning from Japan.

She was passionate about genealogy research and tracing her ancestry. She and Hollis enjoyed years of traveling in their RV across the country, often including their children and grandchildren in their excursions. They also enjoyed trips to Mexico, Paraguay and Brazil to visit their former exchange students.

Kara will always be loved and cherished by her family, including 44 grandchildren and great grandchildren whose lives she enriched and lovingly supported in countless ways. She shared her gift of music, hospitality and optimism and frequently hosted family and holiday gatherings in their home of 51 years. Her life of service, love and dedication to her family and community set a lasting example for us all.

Kara is survived by her four children, Victor Morris (Jennifer), Alan Morris (Kim), Karolyn Hopper (Kirby), and Ronald Morris (Karena); 18 grandchildren and 26 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Hollis Morris.