Your life was a blessing
Your memory a treasure.
You are loved beyond words
You are missed beyond measure.
December 22, 2025, 71, Mount Olive – On December 22, Gloria Brock Morgan ascended to heaven to join her Heavenly Father and her beloved family members who went before her. Her sudden death followed several years of declining health which she fought fiercely and courageously. She was born on August 5, 1954, and lived in Duplin County much of her life.
Gloria attended North Duplin High School, Mount Olive College, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She later earned a Master’s Degree in school counseling from East Carolina University. Employed most of her career with Duplin County Schools, she was a fierce advocate for students. While at E.E. Smith Middle School and Warsaw Middle School,she went above and beyond academic counseling by taking students to medical appointments and working with students to ensure care for all aspects of their well-being. While at North Duplin Jr.-Sr. High School she continued her mission to help students in part by providing opportunities to reach their goals and dreams. One of her proudest accomplishments was assisting graduating seniors from an average class size of only 65 students attain over one million dollars in scholarship awards each year she was there. During her thirty-year career she received numerous accolades and recognition for excellence in education.
Her greatest joy was her family. She met her husband Grey when she was fourteen and he was fifteen. They married in 1977 and began a partnership filled with love which only grew with the addition of each beloved child. From their birth, she was a fierce “mother bear” and loved them beyond measure. Spending time with her family and attending to their needs was her top priority. Her happiness immensely increased with the birth of her grandchild Lincoln who affectionately called her “Annma.” They could be found sitting on the floor surrounded by toys playing, and Lincoln knew that Annma would do anything he asked.
Gloria and her sister Debbie were inseparable. Being born only thirteen months apart, they shared a special bond that remained strong throughout her life. They both attended UNC-CH, took classes together there, taught in the same schools for much of their careers, and raised their families together. In many cases, where you found one, you found the other and a lot of those times were at the family restaurant and beloved Mt. Olive landmark, the Southern Belle.
Gloria was an accomplished musician playing both the organ and the piano and freely shared her talents. She was the organist at Calypso Presbyterian Church for over thirty years, where she also served as choir director. She began playing for weddings and funerals at age 14 and lovingly played for hundreds over the years, practicing tirelessly for each one as if she had never played before to make sure it was perfect.
An avid sports fan, Gloria loved the Carolina Tar Heels and the East Carolina Pirates, attending as many live events as possible. When she could not attend, she could be found in front of the television excitedly cheering as if she were there. Suffice it to say she was a loud and proud fan.
Gloria had many interests, loving all music, loving to read and learn, and loving to shop. She moved through this world with grace, intention, and unmistakable style. A true ‘southern belle’, she believed that looking good was a way of honoring both yourself and the day God had given you. Her jewelry was never just an accessory–it was a signature. Each piece chosen with care, each detail reflecting her beautiful eye for fashion and her love of refinement. You could hear her before you saw her. The confident clack of high heels down the hall, a sound that announced not just her arrival, but her spirit. She carried herself with poise and dignity, reminding us all that elegance is not about vanity, but about self-respect and joy.
Left here to cherish her memory are her loving and devoted husband Grey Morgan, her beloved children Greyson Morgan of Mt. Olive and Gayna M. Hairr and husband Jonathan of Greenville, and her adored grandson Lincoln Hairr. She is also survived by her sister Debbie B. Grady of Mt. Olive, a sister-in-law Kaye G. Brock of Mt. Olive, her brother-in-law and sister-in-law Jack and Gayle Morgan of Dudley and a special pet Charlie.
Also, grieving her loss are two cousins and their families Michael Price and Tracy Price of Seven Springs, numerous nieces and nephews and great-nieces and nephews, her church family at Calypso Presbyterian Church, her former North Duplin co-workers, and three special friends since elementary school, Sharon Dixon, Brenda Holiday, and Sybil Murchinson.
The heavenly family waiting for her when she arrived were her parents Fred Russell Brock and Gaynell Herring Brock, her father-in-law and mother-in-law Carl Morgan and Sue Nobles Morgan, two brothers Brad Brock and Michael Brock, and her brother-in-law Bobby Grady.
Visitation is to be held Friday, December 26, from 6 until 8 p.m. at Tyndall Funeral Home. Funeral services will be Saturday, December 27, at 2 p.m. at the funeral home with burial following at Calypso Cemetery. Officiating will be the Rev. Nick Nielsen, with others who will share memories and of course, beautiful music. Flowers are welcome, and memorial gifts may be made to Calypso Presbyterian Church, PO Box 321, Calypso, NC 28325.
