Kerry's Obituary

Lisa Rose

Kerry S. Morton
Kerry Stevenson Morton 12/31/49 - 07/26/2008 With family and loved ones at her side, Kerry passed away at home on July 26, 2008 following a long battle with colon cancer. Her hope and faith remained strong during her illness. Kerry is survived by her husband, Merriman Morton, her parents, Richard and Janice Stevenson of Lakeway, Texas, her sister and brother-in-law, Kandi and Dirk Van De Graaf of Austin and her sister Kelly Johnson of Madison Heights, Michigan. Kerry also leaves behind the greatest joys of her life: her children, grandchildren and nephews. Also surviving Kerry are her daughters, Kourtney Walker-Cohen of Austin and Megan Walker of Austin and stepchildren, Michelle Morton Davis and husband Jimmy of Dallas and Ben Morton and wife Kelly of Austin. Kerry was blessed with grandchildren who brought pure joy and happiness into her life. She will be greatly missed by Jack and Cameron Cohen, Mallory and Harrison Davis and Max Morton. Kerry also loved her nephews, Rick and Gerrit Van De Graaf and was so proud of their accomplishments at Texas A&M and Westlake High School. Kerry attended Parkway High School in Chesterfield, Missouri and the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. Kerry's career began as Marketing Rep. for IBM in Jefferson City, MO and eventually took her to Tulsa, OK, then to Dallas and Austin, TX. In Austin, she fell in love with the Hill Country and made Austin her home in 1990, where she worked for Southern Union Gas and Samsung Austin Semiconductor until her husband's retirement in 1998. After retirement, Kerry and her husband moved to Tucson, AZ, enjoying the desert and golf almost every day. The arrival of grandchildren prompted their return to Texas so they moved to The Dominion in San Antonio. While living in San Antonio, Kerry was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2002. She always felt so deeply indebted to the community and her new friends in The Dominion for their support and outpouring of friendship, help and love. The draw of family and friends brought Kerry and her husband back to Austin in 2004. As a colon cancer patient, Kerry's main focus was her determination to help fight the disease. She became an advocate for early detection and tirelessly urged everyone to "please get a colonoscopy" in the hopes that she could help save the lives, of not only her family and friends, but also of many others. Kerry believed in giving back to her community and she was involved with many organizations. She was the Austin Coordinator for the National Colon Cancer Alliance. She was an active volunteer for the American Cancer Society working on the Cattle Baron's Gala in San Antonio. She participated in the Cancer Survivor's Network. She is survived by her dear support group the "Semi-Colons". Kerry always said "We have to have a sense of humor about our disease". Kerry was also a member of the Women's Symphony League of Austin, the 8212 Club of Barton Creek Country Club and the St. David's Community Health Foundation "Toast of the Town" committee. She had been active in the KLRU Austin City Limits Gala Committee, Caritas Community Advisory Board, Charitech Advisory Council, United States Olympic Committee, 1997 Selection Committee for Women of Distinction, and 1997 Steering Committee for the Lone Star Girl Scouts Council. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Monday, July 28, 2008 at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home. A memorial service for all family and friends will be held in the Smith Chapel at Riverbend Church on Tuesday, July 29, 2008, at 2:00 p.m. Serving as Kerry's honorary pall bearers will be her best friends over the past 40+ years and now her 'forever' best friends: Diane Sellenriek Unger (St. Louis, MO), Judy Cohen Faintich (St. Louis, MO), Joann Cohen-Cohen (St. Louis, MO), Laurie Flynn Knowlton (Springfield, MO), Carol Hilleman Vaux (Athens, AL), and Roxanne Garrison-Stewart (Eureka Springs, AR). Kerry's family wishes to thank Dr. Jerry Fain of the Southwest Regional Cancer Center for his care, encouragement, and kindness. In lieu of flowers, it is Kerry's wish that generous donations be made to The American Cancer Society, The Colon Cancer Alliance, Lance Armstrong Foundation, or any other cancer research organization of your choice. "We are so close to finding the cure. (Kerry) Obituary and guestbook online at wcfish.com. Arrangements by WEED-CORLEY-FISH FUNERAL HOME Austin, TX 78705 (512) 452-8811