Morris retires after 30 years with state

After 31 years of helping the people of northeast Louisiana, Becky Morris is retiring this week.

For the past three decades, Morris has been the friendly voice greeting constituents calling Francis Thompson’s and the first person they see when visiting his office in Delhi.

To say her job has grown would be an understatement.

“We started with 40,000 constituents in the house district in 1980,” she said. “Now we represent 120,000 in the senate district.”

Through it all, her job has been the same: helping people when she could and getting them in touch with Thompson or the appropriate official when needed.

“I’m going to miss dealing with the people,” Morris said. “That’s been my favorite part of the job.”

Not that she plans to disappear any time soon. She’ll still be involved with the Young at Heart Group at Dunn Baptist Church where she also helps out in Bible school and as an assistant Sunday School teacher.

Morris has always been involved in the community, helping her sons show angus cattle, working with the Boy Scouts and following them through sports in Delhi and at ULM.

Morris said she started working for Thompson in 1980 while working in real estate with his brother, Mike.

“When his secretary was out, I’d fill in for her,” Morris said.

Then when the position became available full time, she joined Thompson’s staff.

Morris is the wife of Edward Morris of Delhi, and they have two sons and three grandchildren. She is the daughter of Willie and Joyce Davis.

The community will celebrate her retirement with a reception at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 20 at the Delhi Civic Center.