Eleanor Morton

Eleanor J. “Jane” Morton, age 92 years of Niles, Michigan and formerly of Dowagiac died with her family at her bedside at 5:02 p.m. on Tuesday, September 16, 2014 at The Timbers of Cass County following a brief illness.

She was born on January 27, 1922 in Circleville, Ohio to Marshall and Gertrude (Southworth) Doxsee while her parents were traveling from a southern retreat back to Michigan. She was graduated from Dowagiac High School, and lived in this area all of her life.

She was employed for twenty-five years in the admissions office of the former Pawating Hospital (now Lakeland Community) in Niles.

Jane was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Captain Samuel Felt Chapter in Dowagiac. She enjoyed playing bridge and scrabble, completing crossword puzzles, and reading about history and architecture. Her greatest interest was caring for her family.

She was formerly married to Richard Putz.

In 1972 in Dowagiac, Michigan she married Robert Morton with whom she celebrated the eighteenth anniversary of their wedding prior to his death in December of 1990. She was also preceded in death by a daughter, Leslie Griffee who died February 14, 2009, two sisters and three brothers.

Surviving family includes her childen, Jeffrey (& Vicki) Putz of Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania, Mary Marquess of Oakland, California, and Valerie (& Ed) Guljas of Commiskey, Indiana; son-in-law Joe Griffee of Niles; step-sons, Mark Morton, Matt Morton, and R.B. Morton; fourteen grandchildren; seventeen great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Services for Eleanor Jane Morton will be at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 20, 2014 at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles, with the Rev. Andrew Guljas, C.S.C. of Notre Dame, Indiana officiating. Committal will follow at Mission Hills Memorial Gardens in Niles.

The family will receive relatives and friends on Friday from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles. Contributions in memory of Jane may be made to an organization of the donor’s choice.

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