Emmy Howell Morrison

Emmy Howell Morrison, 85, was born in Concord, N.C., on August 9, 1928. She was a daughter of the late Fred L. Howell, Sr. and Grace Blackwelder Howell. A graduate of Concord High School in 1946, Emmy attended Brevard College. She worked as a secretary for Cannon Mills in Kannapolis, N.C. until she resigned to begin her family. Emmy first fell in love with roses as a child while walking to and from school. A lifetime of study and experience nurtured her interest, which grew to include the healing herbs and native North Carolina wildflowers. Heritage roses were her true specialty. She was a charter member of the Heritage Rose Foundation, a longtime member of the Nature Conservancy and the Davidson Garden Club. Emmy and Bill, her husband of nearly 62 years, moved to Davidson after his retirement in 1988. She continued to add to her extensive reference library and to expand her collection of heritage roses. Today the well-known rose garden she established and cultivated around a bush grown from a cutting of that first rose she admired has increased to well over 100 unique specimens. Each spring as the roses began to bloom Emmy placed her small sign by the street and welcomed the community to "Come Smell the Roses." She enjoyed giving tours and sharing not only the special story of each historic rose, but horticultural advice and often cuttings as well. The church occupied an important place in Emmy's life. She taught Sunday school and served on the Flower Committee as a member of Davidson College Presbyterian Church. She and Bill were married in 1952 at her childhood church, McGill Street Baptist in Concord. Emmy is survived by her husband, William E. Morrison, Sr., two sons, W. Emerson Morrison Jr., and wife, Wanda Gordon Morrison, of Charlotte; Dr. John Howell Morrison and wife, Dr. Vivian Montgomery; and Ezra Montgomery Morrison, her grandson, all of Medford, Massachusetts; her younger brother, Dr. R. Rodney Howell, of Coconut Grove, Florida, sister-in-law Elsie Howell of Concord, and brothers-in-law, Winfred Wise of Kannapolis and Dr. Phillip W. Lett, Sr., of Boulder, Colorado. She was preceded in death by her two older sisters and three elder brothers. This spring the very same rose the little girl fell in love with nearly 80 years ago is generously sharing its beauty and fragrance with all who make time to "Come Smell the Roses." Everyone is invited to enjoy the garden at www.rkdn.org/roses. A memorial service will be held at Davidson College Presbyterian Church on Saturday, May 10th at 2 p.m. The family will receive friends at the Congregation House following the service. Raymer-Kepner Funeral Home and Cremation Services is assisting the family. Friends may offer condolences to the family at www.raymerfh.com.