Obituary of Mary Ann Morton

Mary Ann Middleton Morton, affectionately known as “Mommy,” was born on October 5, 1943, to the union of Joseph Jesse Middleton, Sr. and Ida Brown Middleton in Charleston, South Carolina.

Mary received her formal education in the Charleston County public school system. After graduation, she married James Edward Morton, Jr., in 1964 and began traveling the country with him during his enlistment in the United States Navy for twenty-two years. Mommy was most noted for her love of beautiful flowers, plants, and trinkets. She definitely had what we call a “green thumb” as she could revive any plant.

After decades of fighting several forms of cancer, including skin cancer, lung cancer, bladder cancer, and colon cancer, God ended her suffering and called one of his greatest gifts home on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2022. She was preceded in death by her husband, James Edward Morton, Jr.; father, Joseph J. Middleton, Sr.; mother, Ida Brown Middleton; sisters, Hennie Parker and Ruth Middleton; brother, Joseph Middleton, Jr.; and grandson, Joseph C. Morton.

Mary Ann Middleton Morton leaves to cherish her memory: five children, Sherrell Elaine Morton of Baltimore, MD, Sergeants Major (Ret.) Theresa D. Morton of Wilmington, DE, Dr. Elizabeth Morton Bell of Fort Washington, MD, James E. Morton, III (Pamela) of Virginia Beach, VA, and Paulette Morton Townsend (Robert) of Portsmouth, VA; sister, Nancy Middleton of Brooklyn, NY; ten grandchildren, Kwame S. White and Shaquan Morton, both of Atlanta, GA, Raashid Ahmad Bell and Aamirah Najme Bell, both of Fort Washington, MD, Tahlia Amaya Wynn, Tariq Ahmeer Morton Wynn and Tyler Robert Townsend of Portsmouth, VA, Cameron Joseph Morton of Virginia Beach, VA, Maurice K. Shanks of Camp Springs, MD, and Chineta Davis of Hampton, VA; and a host of in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family, and loved ones.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” II Corinthians 1:3-4

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to hurt and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1-4