Barbara A. (Morris) Downie Thomas' Obituary
Born December 10, 1959, in Somerset, St. Thomas, Jamaica, Barbara was the beloved daughter of Dennis Downie and Claire Goulbourne, and stepdaughter of Cora Downie. She immigrated to the United States in 1979, eventually settling in Fort Lauderdale, FL. During her time there, she worked for Broward Health and met Michael Morris Sr., whom she married in Jamaica on December 17, 1983. Together, they welcomed two sons, Michael and Nathan, five years apart.
In 1996, Barbara moved her family to Ocala, FL, where she lived until relocating to the Tampa Bay area in 2011. On June 23, 2018, she married Roger Thomas, sharing seven years of loving partnership.
Barbara earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theology and was pursuing her Master’s Degree at the time of her passing. She wrote and published The Cure Is in the Living: My Journey With Cancer, a testament to her strength and faith. A devoted minister and spiritual mentor to many, Barbara fulfilled her lifelong dream of preaching and sharing her faith.
Her greatest joy was her family. In 2019, she became a grandmother to Mya Lynn. In 2020, she welcomed her second granddaughter, Olivia Claphel, lovingly named in her honor. In 2022, she was blessed with two grandsons, Michael III (“Mikey”) and Kai Anthony, born in October and November respectively.
Barbara is survived by her husband, Roger Augustine Thomas; her sons, Michael Handel Morris Jr. (Jennifer) and Nathan Anthony Morris (Ashley); and her cherished grandchildren, Mya Lynn, Olivia Claphel, Michael III, and Kai Anthony Morris. She is also survived by her mother, Roslyn (Porter) Goulbourne; her stepmother, Cora Downie; and her siblings, Gerald, Cleve, Denise, Maxine, Carol, and Nathaniel. She was preceded in death by her brothers, Neville and Dwight.
Though she loved flowers and gardening, Barbara requested that donations be made to Moffitt Cancer Center in lieu of flowers. Contributions can be made at: https://everloved.com/life-of/barbara-thomas-new-port-richey-fl
A service will be held on Friday, November 7 at 11 a.m. at Trinity Memorial Gardens, Trinity, FL.
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