Obituary of Mercedes Dahms Morgan "Cookie"

Mercedes Dahms Morgan (Cookie)

If you are reading this then it means on July 24, 2019, I left Palm Gardens of Largo to embark on my last great journey. 

I started my life journey on April 30,1936 in New York, NY.  Yes Virginia, that makes me 83!! After leaving New York, I spent a few years in Fairfax, VA on my way to St. Petersburg, FL.  Shortly after arriving in Florida in 1950, I began my greatest adventure, Motherhood, which resulted in a passel of kids and a few husbands (ok, maybe more than a few).  I survived my last husband, Rush Morgan, making me, for the first time, a merry widow.

During my life I worked many various jobs in the service industry including managing an all girls gas station in the 1950s, cocktail waitressing at the Nine Bar, bar tending at the Leisure Lounge and waitressing at Hickory Smoke House for over 20 years.

My passions were geography, history, traveling and as you might have guessed, men.  In the early 1970s on a trip to Mexico I was bitten by wanderlust and spent the rest of my life exploring the world.  I was very fortunate to have visited 53 countries across 5 continents.  My last exploration was in November 2018 to South America which included seeing the fabulous Machu Picchu.

I took great pride in being a strong, independent woman who raised her family, purchased and beautifully maintained the family home in Pinellas Park for over 50 years as a single Mother (well single most of the time).

Over the years I have loved and lost many pets including Stash, Tuffy, Sarge and my precious Pookie.  I was survived by Cricket and Big Boy ( a reference to his … size)  In the early years I was an avid horse woman and shared this passion with my children.  In my later years I enjoyed watching and feeding the neighborhood feral cats, squirrels and birds that wandered into my perfectly manicured yard.

In between all this fun stuff I survived a “little bout” of pancreatic cancer for eleven years until after a three month long battle, a liver abscess and sepsis did me in.

I was preceded in death by my parents Anne and John Miller and my siblings Joan Collins, Dawn Rasimowicz, Raoul Miller.  I was survived by my two sisters Margo Bennett and Karen Farris.  Fortunately my greatest wish was met, that I was survived by all my children India Hughes (Tom), Sharon Norwood (Charlie), Denise Heshmatpour (Behrooz), Connie Kozlowski (Kevin), Jim Schmidt (Lori), Toni Michalove (Louis).  I was survived by my twelve grandchildren, ten great grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild.  I was also survived by many nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews.  If my count is off I can promise it wasn’t you that I forgot!

I would like to thank the caring staff at Palm Gardens of Largo.  I would especially like to thank all the wonderful people who I have loved and have loved me along the way.   Without them it would have been dull and as you know my life was anything but dull.

A gathering of family and friends will be held on Saturday, August 3, 2019 at 2:30 PM followed by my Celebration of Life at 3:30pm at Reese Funeral Home, 6767 Seminole Blvd. Seminole, FL 33772.  In lieu of flowers, a memorial donation may be made to Pancreatic Cancer Action Network:  1 877-2-PANCAN.  A private internment will be held by the family at a later date at Bay Pines National Cemetery.