Theodora "Teddi" Anne Morris

Theodora “Teddi” Anne Morris passed away peacefully at her home in Oxnard on October 20, 2024.

Teddi was born at St. Mary’s Hospital in San Francisco on May 4, 1945, one week before her future husband (Jerry Morris) was born in the very same hospital.  Serendipity.  Born to Theodore Malcom Spargo and Helen Lilian Spargo (née Snedeker), she joined older sister Joan.

As a child, Teddi moved around a lot due to her father’s work for Richfield Oil Company.  The family lived in several different northern California cities (including San Francisco, Napa, San Rafael, Redding, and Eureka) before settling down for most of her adolescent years in Sacramento.  Teddi graduated from C.K. McClatchy High School (Sacramento) in 1963.

She attended Dominican College of San Rafael (now Dominican University), graduating in 1967.  More important than any coursework, while she was at Dominican Teddi met husband Jerry on a blind date set up by her classmate Barbara Crosby (née St. Martin). 

Teddi and Jerry married in May 1969, beginning their family life in a one-bedroom apartment near Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.  Teddi did some substitute teaching in San Francisco Unified School District for a time, and also worked as a clerical underwriter for Aetna Casualty and Surety.

Teddi’s first and only child (Sean) was born in June 1971, and the family moved to Oxnard soon thereafter.  Unable at first to find steady work in education, Teddi got a job at The Broadway department store in the Credit Department in the evenings, where shoppers who had been denied credit could come to yell at her.  There was an upside, however.  With her store discount, the family was able to buy one of the first VCRs available, on which they would watch and record hundreds of movies over the years.

In the early 1980s, Teddi was able to re-enter the world of education, finding work as an instructional aide at Oxnard High School.  During that time, she helped negotiate a first-time union contract with the District for paraprofessionals, reflecting her lifelong championing of the worker against “the man.”  She eventually was hired as a full-time English teacher at OHS, where she made a huge difference the lives of many students who remember her fondly to this day.  In the early 90s, she returned to school to complete a Master’s degree in library science, after which she was hired as the librarian at Hueneme High School.  As the HHS librarian, she received many awards and recognitions, including being honored by the California School Library Association for her development of research resources for Hueneme’s history teachers.  She entered her well-earned retirement in 2009.

Teddi loved books.  She was a voracious reader her entire life, and her “happy place” was curled up with a good story near a fire on a cold day.  Some of her most prized possessions were early edition Dickens novels that Jerry would find for her.  She enjoyed watching murder mystery shows, and she never met a British detective she didn’t like.  Teddi had a saying for every occasion and situation, often coining her own.  “Life isn’t fair, Mario” (which has no discernable meaning outside the family) is still invoked frequently to this day by her grandkids.  She loved jigsaw puzzles, games, fall leaves, and her garden.  She cherished her trips to the theater and travelling. 

Most importantly, she loved her friends and family.  She was a devoted wife and mother.  Her and Jerry’s marriage was one for the books.  They loved and supported each other for over 50 years.  Teddi was a great mother to Sean, unfailingly supportive of everything he did.  She adored her daughter-in-law Kristy, whom she knew almost as long as Sean.  And, she loved her granddaughters Rose, Kyra, and Zoey more than words can express.  Her last thoughts were of them, and wishing for them all the happiness the world can offer.Teddi was preceded in death by her mother Helen Lilian Spargo, her father Theodore Malcom Spargo, her sister Joan Stevens, and her husband Jerrold (Jerry) L. Morris.  She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law Sean and Kristy Morris, and her granddaughters Rose, Kyra, and Zoey Morris.

The family would like to acknowledge the loving care provided to Teddi in the last year of her life by her regular caretakers, Sonia, Ruby, and Luz of Comfort Keepers.  Teddi was lucky to have you looking after her.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation made in Teddi’s honor to Ventura County Rescue Mission vcrescuemission.org or Reading to Kids readingtokids.org

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