[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 22 (Friday, February 11, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E212]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING LELA DUFFEL MORRIS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, February 11, 2011

  Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
extraordinary life of Mrs. Lela Duffel Morris, the first African-
American graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the 
University of Washington, a career nurse, and a trailblazer in the 
field of occupational and public health. Mrs. Morris and her husband of 
62 years, Dr. Walter Morris, have been stalwart members of the Bay Area 
community for decades. A loving wife, mother, grandmother, friend and 
colleague, Mrs. Lela Morris will be forever remembered for her warmth 
and compassion. With her passing on February 1, 2011, we are reminded 
of her life's journey and the joyful legacy she inspired.
  Lela Duffel Morris was born on April 23, 1927, and was the youngest 
of Thomas Duffel and Harriett Jones Duffel's 12 children. Just before 
Lela's birth, the family relocated from the state of Louisiana to 
Beaumont, Texas. And, not long after Lela was born, her mother passed 
away. As the family struggled through the heights of the depression, 
Lela was sheltered from hardship and nurtured by her father and 
siblings.
  In the fall of 1945, she enrolled in the School of Nursing at the 
University of Washington (UW), becoming the first African American to 
be admitted, and later, graduate from the nursing program. Mrs. Morris' 
subsequent career in public health began in the District of Columbia, 
where she saw a need for regulation and advocacy in occupational and 
environmental health issues.
  At a time when workers were far too often exposed to hazardous 
workplace conditions, Mrs. Morris became founding director of 
continuing education for the Northern California Occupational Health 
Center, a division of the National Institute for Occupational Safety 
and Health.
  In her over 50-year career, Mrs. Morris received many accolades, 
including the 2001 Distinguished Alumna Award from the UW School of 
Nursing and the Alumni Advisory Council, as well as special 
recognitions from the Northern California Public Health Association, 
the American Lung Association, the Golden State Medical Association and 
the American Cancer Society.
  In the midst of her career and raising four children, Mrs. Morris 
received a Master of Public Health degree from the University of 
California, Berkeley. She also taught college health education courses 
and served as guest editor of the American Association of Occupational 
Health Nurses Journal. She was an active volunteer with community 
organizations, such as the Oakland Bay Area Chapter of The Links, Inc., 
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and the Auxiliaries of the National, Golden 
State and Sinkler-Miller Medical Associations.
  On a personal level, I will always remember Mrs. Morris' gentle and 
kind spirit, but also her strength and brilliance. Her smile lifted my 
spirits, and she always offered a word of encouragement. She and her 
husband, Dr. Morris, were my early supporters when I first ran for 
public office in 1989. They consistently supported me throughout my 
many campaigns. And for that, I am deeply grateful.
  Today, California's 9th Congressional District salutes and honors a 
wonderful human being, Mrs. Lela Duffel Morris. The contributions she 
made to others throughout her life are countless and precious. Our 
community is indebted to her work with East Bay organizations and to 
her many civic contributions over the years. My thoughts are with Dr. 
Walter Morris, his family, and Lela's extended group of loved ones as 
we celebrate her incredible life. May her soul rest in peace.

                          ____________________