Matthew Clifton Morrison

Matthew Clifton Morrison, 93, of Nashville, Tennessee passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of April 10, 2026. Born on March 31, 1933, in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, he was the son of Margaret Ann Swain Morrison and James Earl Morrison. Matthew was the devoted husband of 68 years to the late Betty Ross Cox Morrison who preceded him in death in 2024. Together, they built a life grounded in faith, family, and service.

He is survived by his son, Matthew Ross Morrison (Jan Heath Morrison); and his beloved grandchildren, John Avery Morrison (Madison Margaret Friedel) and Cole McKinley Heath Morrison, all of Nashville, Tennessee. He is also survived by his brother-in-law, James T. “Jimmy” Cox (Donna Barnes Cox) of Minor Hill, Tennessee, and sister-in-law, Lydia Lee Cox of Nashville, along with numerous nieces and nephews.

Matthew was one of nine siblings and is survived by his sisters, Mary Ruth Dubard of Atlanta, Georgia, and Betty Ann Howard of Nashville, Tennessee. He was preceded in death by his siblings - Lewis, James, John, David, Andrew and Nancy Morrison.

A lifelong learner, scholar and gifted communicator, Matthew earned his undergraduate degree in Speech and History from David Lipscomb University, a Master’s degree in Speech and Education from Indiana State University, and a Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Radio and Television from Indiana University. He also pursued additional graduate studies in advertising at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

His distinguished career in higher education included faculty appointments at Abilene Christian University, Clark College in Atlanta, Pembroke State University in North Carolina, and the University of Georgia. His expertise spanned writing, illustration, and speech communication, and he was widely published and respected for his contributions in each of these fields.

Matthew’s passion for teaching extended far beyond the classroom. He loved helping children discover the joys of reading and art and found great fulfillment in mentoring educators on how to teach with purpose and creativity.

Known for his sharp wit, warm spirit, and love of laughter, he always had a unique perspective on most topics, likely due to his keen powers of observation developed as an artist. Throughout his lifetime he continued expressing his artistic talents in painting and illustrating. He was an enthusiastic sports fan, taking particular pride in cheering on his grandsons John and Cole in their pursuits in lacrosse and football.

Guided by deep faith, Matthew also served as a preacher of the gospel in as many as ten churches across six states, many in rural communities. Through a church sponsorship, he taught conversational English to Chinese students. In his later years, he found great joy in teaching youth classes at Hillsboro Church of Christ in Nashville, where he was a faithful member for 27 years.

A service celebrating Matthew’s life will be April 14, 2026, at Bennett-May & Pierce Funeral Home in Pulaski, Tennessee. Visitation will begin at 12:00 noon, followed by a celebration of Matthew’s life at 1:00 p.m. A private family burial will follow in Minor Hill, Tennessee.

Matthew Morrison will be remembered for his enduring faith, his love of learning and teaching, and the countless lives he touched through his kindness, wisdom, and gentle humor.

Bennett-May & Pierce Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements for Matthew Clifton Morrison.