Morris Sheppard Cloninger, 101, passed away peacefully at home Sunday evening, December 14, 2008. He was born on June 30, 1907 on a farm in Cass County, near Linden, Texas. His parents were Alice Alberta Henderson and John Robertus Cloninger. His Henderson grandparents came by wagon from Alabama to Cass County in 1875.
His siblings, who all preceded him in death, included Daisy Belle Burns, Leon Melancthon Cloninger, Winnie Davis Cox, Laura Lucille Clinkscales, Johnnie Robert Cloninger, Nolan Henderson Cloninger and Wilma Loreece Fant. His first wife, Sophie Williams of Conroe, Texas, a librarian whom he married on August 19, 1939, died in 1952.
He attended a country school in Caves Springs Community through seventh grade, eighth and ninth grades at Linden High School, and graduated from Jefferson High School in Jefferson, Texas in 1926. He worked in Rogers National Bank in Jefferson from 1926 to 1928, at which time he left to attend The University of Texas at Austin. He worked his way through the University holding various jobs, including selling vanilla extract door to door and running the elevator at the Stephen F. Austin Hotel from 7 pm to 7 am.
He earned his B.A. in English in 1932 and began teaching English at Conroe High School in Conroe, Texas. In 1939, he received his M.A. from University of Texas.
In September 1939, he began teaching at South Park High School in Beaumont, Texas, where he initiated the National Honor Society and sponsored a literary club which accumulated 100 autographed books by American authors. In 1947, he took a leave of absence to take care of his ailing wife and business investments. He never returned to full time classroom instruction, but his love of teaching and of his former students was always an important part of his life. So many of his students would say that he was “the teacher who made the difference” in their lives.
No honor bestowed on him was more appreciated than the 2003 presentation of a plaque at a reunion which read: “… to Morris S. Cloninger, honored tutor, a gentleman and a scholar, a mentor, and a dear friend for over 60 years. Thanks for the memories which will endure for a lifetime…South Park High School Class of 1943.” Students from all his classes kept in touch with him throughout the rest of his life because of the impact he had on them. He treasured their friendships.
Morris Cloninger was appointed to the Beaumont Independent School District Board of Trustees in 1969 and then elected to a full term in 1970. His talent for teaching and business made him an outstanding board member. He served as Vice President and then as President. The fifteen years he spent in the classroom as a teacher and his years as a member of the Board of Trustees gave him much happiness and a sense of fulfillment because he felt that shaping the lives of the future leaders of our country was important.
In 1975, Morris Cloninger was presented with the Liberty Bell award, given annually by the Junior Bar to a citizen who has made unusual contributions to the community. The presenter said, “Cloninger has given willingly, especially to the young people of the community.”
Morris Cloninger joined the Downtown Optimist Club in 1952 and it became an important part of his life. As a member of the Board of Director’s of Boy’s Haven, which had been started by the Optimist Club, he often helped boys with homework and gave them fatherly guidance. After serving as Vice-President and President of the local club, he became Lt. Governor and then Governor of the Southeast Texas District. In 1960, he was elected Vice President of Optimist International and traveled throughout the United States meeting with clubs, visiting the various homes for boys without parents, discussing local programs.
In 1959, Morris Cloninger was elected Chairman of the Conference Council of the Texas Conference of the Methodist Church. A member at that time of Roberts Avenue Methodist Church, he had served as chairman of the official board of the church and was an associate lay leader of the Texas Conference of the Methodist Church and a former district lay leader of the Beaumont District. After moving to another section of the city,
he transferred his membership to Trinity United Methodist Church and served as a member of the board. His church was always an important part of his life.
Interested in his community, Morris Cloninger served in many capacities at various times. He served as a Director of Security State Bank and First City National Bank. He was a past President and member of the Board of Directors of the Cerebral Palsy Foundation. As chairman of the Special Gifts Division, he raised money for the new building of the Foundation. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Salvation Army for several years. He was a Special Fund Raiser for the American Heart Association and a member of the Board of Directors for one year. He worked with the Christmas Bureau and the United Fund and participated in many other drives.
He was also a strong supporter of cultural activities in Beaumont. He was in charge of the Maintenance Fund Drive of the Beaumont Civic Opera and then a member of the Advisory Board when that organization was a vital part of Beaumont. He also supported the Opera Workshop. He was a patron of the Beaumont Symphony Society for many years and served on the Board of Directors. He was a patron of the Beaumont Music Commission. The Beaumont Community Players listed him as a patron as well as a member of the Board of Directors; he played leading roles in several productions. One of the charter members of the Knights of the Neches, he supported the Neches River Festival. He was a member of the Beaumont Club and the Beaumont Country Club. Although involved in the many community and cultural affairs that interested him, Morris’ love and devotion to this family was unparalleled. In 1958 he married Concetta Mazzagatti, who directed him in a Beaumont Little Theater production. Together they raised and educated four children.
Morris’ love of family, church, school and his students made him the exemplary human being that he was. He touched so many lives in such a positive way.
He is survived by his loving wife, Marie Concetta Mazzagatti Cloninger; his children and their spouses, Dr. C. Robert Cloninger and wife Sherry of St. Louis, Missouri; Joan Cloninger Wilcox and husband Charles Wilcox II of Reston, Virginia; Julia Cloninger Shelton of Houston; and Diana Cloninger Pate and husband Gordon Pate Jr. of Austin; granddaughters, Lauren Wilcox of Dale City, Virginia, Elizabeth Shelton of Austin, Hayley Shelton of Houston, and Hannah Pate of Austin; grandsons, Bryan Cloninger of Chateauneuf, France, Dr. Kevin Cloninger of Kerhonkson, New York, Michael Wilcox of Newport Beach, California, Ian Shelton and his wife Kristin of Houston, David Shelton of Houston, and Eric and Josh Pate of Austin; great-grandson, Baptiste Henry Cloninger of Chateauneuf, France; brother-in-law, Roy P. Mazzagatti, and wife, Florence Mazzagatti of Lufkin, Texas; his niece-in-law, Mary Cox, and her daughters and their spouses, Marianne Cox Harkrider and Steve Harkrider, Nancy Jurgen and her husband Ken Jurgen, as well as numerous other nieces, nephews and cousins.
The family thanks Pearlie Mae Woods, Alma Turner, Sandra Collins, Natisha Mallett, Mallory Broussard and all the Odyssey Hospice staff for the loving care they gave the departed.
Funeral service will be 11:00 a.m., Thursday, December 18, 2008 at Trinity United Methodist Church with burial to follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park under the direction of Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin, Beaumont. A time for sharing memories of Morris’ life will begin at 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 17 at the Mortuary.
Pallbearers will be Ian and David Shelton; Robert Cloninger; Eric, Josh and Gordon Pate; Michael and Chuck Wilcox. Honorary pallbearers include Pat Shelton; Bryan and Kevin Cloninger; Charles Johnson, George Rhea Sharp, Wallace Domingue, Jr., Dr. John Terry Smith, Dr. Reggie Iles, Jerry White, Steven Harkrider, Ken Jurgens, Joe Fisher, Jr., and all past Governors and Downtown Optimist Club members.
Memorial contributions may be made to Trinity United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 5247, Beaumont, Texas 77726.
