Thelma J Morrison

September 26, 1945 - February 3, 2018

Thelma Jean Netherly Morrison, passed away in Yakima on Saturday, February 3. She was 72. Thelma was born in Wapato, Washington on September 26, 1945, to Marvin and Ruby (Duffield) Netherly. Five years later, Ruby met and married Paul Archer and Thelma assumed her place as the eldest sibling in a growing family. Those who knew and loved her can attest to her strong faith in Jesus Christ and witnessed the positive impact she made on the lives of her family and the numerous people she met. By profession, Thelma was a nurse. She was educated in Toppenish schools and after high school, earned a degree as a Licensed Practical Nurse at Grandview Nursing School. She worked in the trauma unit at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, and also worked at Providence Hospital in Seattle before returning to Yakima Valley. In Yakima she was employed for over 20 years as a head charge nurse at Crescent Nursing Home. Afterward Thelma worked as a nurse and supervisor for a state run drug rehabilitation center for women in Yakima County. Thelma married Thomas Morrison in 1976. They were married for fourteen years and lived most of them in Toppenish before his death in 1990. While Thelma was an expert nurse, she is most known for her gift of song. Thelma possessed a beautiful voice which she used to spread and promote the gospel. While in Seattle she sang and traveled all over the Pacific Northwest including Alaska with Teen Challenge Ministries. As a resident of Seattle, Thelma became acquainted with numerous upcoming gospel artists including the late Andre Crouch and Walter Hawkins. After returning to Toppenish, Thelma served at the church of her childhood, Full Gospel Temple of Prayer, where she assisted with worship and taught Sunday School. Later she attended Full Gospel Church in Yakima which became her church until her passing. Thelma was preceded in death by her parents, a brother, Stephen Netherly, and two sisters, Rev. Barbara Andrews, and Beverly Richardson. She is survived by her brother Paul Archer of Puyallup, (Lourdes) Lynette Stanley of Selah (Ron), and Sandra Young of Columbia, South Carolina (Charles), an adopted grandson, Forrest Counts of North Dakota, and a host of nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. Funeral Services will be held at 11AM Wednesday at the Full Gospel Church 2120 S. 3rd Avenue. Interment will follow at Tahoma Cemetery. Heggie’s Colonial Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.