LORMAN — Alpha L. Morris died Saturday, May 10, 2014, at River Region Medical Center. She was 82.

Mrs. Morris was born March 17, 1932, in Taylor, one of nine children and the oldest daughter of Odeal and Ruby Smith Lockhart.  She graduated from Taylor Vocational High School in 1948 at the age of 16, received a bachelor’s degree in home economics education from Alcorn State University in 1952, and taught vocational home economics at New Albany.

She received a master’s degree in home economics education in 1955 from Michigan State University, and later received a Ph.D. in sociology from Mississippi State University. She taught in the Claiborne County Public School system and later joined the faculty of Alcorn State, where she was a professor of sociology and chair of the Social Science Department at ASU until her retirement in June 2013.

She was a member of Mercy Seat M.B. Church, where she served as an usher until her death.

Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Jesse Anderson Morris Sr., and brothers, James and Malcolm Lockhart.

Survivors include her son, Jesse A. Morris Jr.; daughter, Patricia Sullivan; two grandchildren; sisters, E. Vernice Jones of Gary, Ind., and Ora Jean Brown of Milwaukee; brothers, Jewell Lockhart of Greenville, Alexander Lockhart of Chicago, Odeal Lockhart Jr. of New York, and Dr. Alonzo E. Lockhart of Inglewood, Calif; and relatives and friends.

Services for will be 11 a.m., Saturday, May 17, 2014, at the Davey L. Whitney Health, Physical Education and Recreation Complex on the campus of Alcorn State University with the Rev. Frank McGriggs officiating, assisted by Dr. Steven C. Duncan, senior pastor of Living Word Baptist Church.  Burial will be at Mercy Seat Cemetery under the direction of Thompson Funeral Home of Port Gibson.

Visitation will be 1 to 5 p.m. Friday at the funeral home, and from 6 to 7 p.m. at Mercy Seat M.B. Church with the Omega, Omega Ceremony by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. starting 7 p.m. A third visitation, at the Whitney complex, will be 10 a.m. Saturday until the hour of service.

The family requests that donations be made to the Alcorn State University Foundation or the Jesse Anderson Morris, Sr. Scholarship Fund, 1000 ASU Drive, #810, Alcorn State, MS 39096-7500.