James Morriss

James â??Jayâ? Tolleison Morriss V, 64, of Petersburg died Friday, January 4, 2008. He was a native of Petersburg born the son of the late J. T. Morriss IV and Sara Taylor Morriss. Jay was the President of J.T. Morriss & Son Funeral Home & Cremation Service. He received his BA degree from Randolph Macon College in 1966. As an undergraduate Jay was a member of the swim team, the Varsity Club, and Phi Kappa Sigma, for which he served as president. He later earned his MS degree from the American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service in 1969. He served as a board member of the Society of Alumni of Randolph Macon College from 1973 to 1976 and the Society of Alumni conferred on him the Young Alumnus Achievement Award in 1979. He has served in leadership positions with numerous civic and charitable groups in the Petersburg area, including the Southside Virginia Emergency Crew, the United Way, the Heart Association, the YMCA, the Historic Petersburg Foundation, Historic Blandford Foundation, Crime Solvers, the Fort Henry Branch of the Association for Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, the Petersburg Chamber of Commerce, the Petersburg Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Virginiaâ??s Gateway Region, the Board of Trustees for SunTrust Bank, and the Rotary Club (Past President). He received the Petersburg Outstanding Young Man Award in 1972. He has served as president of the Central District Funeral Directorâ??s Association and as a board member and past president of the Virginia Funeral Directorâ??s Association. He is formerly a trustee of the John T. Wightman/Randolph-Macon College Foundation, a board member of the Friday German, the Petersburg Cotillion, and the Petersburg Country Club, Chairman of the Petersburg Foundation, and member of the board of directors for Contact Tri-City Area. He is survived by his wife Ann Coleman Morriss; his daughter Meredith Morriss Matthews and husband Patrick; his son J. Tolleison Morriss VI and wife Angie; five grandchildren Kenley, Jackson, Tripp, J.T. and Ann Morgan; two sisters Katherine M. Siddle and husband Paul and Jane M. Garland and husband Raymond; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. The family will receive friends Monday, January 7th from 4 to 6 pm at the Petersburg Chapel of J.T. Morriss & Son Funeral Home & Cremation Service. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, January 8th at 11 am at Christ & Grace Episcopal Church in Petersburg with Rev. David Teschner and Rev. Dr. Boston Lackey, Jr. officiating. Interment will follow in Blandford Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Southside Virginia Emergency Crew, PO Box 574, Petersburg, VA, 23805 or the J. T. Morriss family scholarship, Randolph-Macon College, P.O. Box 5005, Ashland, Virginia 23005-5005 or the charity of your choice. Condolences may be registered at www.jtmorriss.com