Charlotte Morris Thompson

Charlotte Morris Thompson, a Petaluma native, passed away peacefully on June 19th of natural causes at age 102. She was the second child of Drs. Russell Morris and Clara Mathias Morris, both physicians in the early days of Petaluma. Her siblings were Odile Morris Nisson Roche, James Morris and Sam Morris and Virginia McGimpsey Best Johnson. Her husband, Royal Thompson, preceded her in death in 1999.

Born in 1916 at their D Street home in Petaluma, CA, she attended Petaluma schools: Pepper Free Kindergarten, Lincoln Primary and Washington Grammar before moving to Oakland with her family. Charlotte continued her schooling in Oakland before attending University of Colorado in Boulder and later graduated San Francisco Law School. During the war years, Charlotte worked as a driver for Shell Oil, and then for a charter airline, becoming fascinated with flying and becoming a pilot.

Charlotte and Roy lived in Houston after their marriage, where she worked as a tax attorney, taught bilingual education and traveled widely in Mexico. The couple then lived in Indonesia where they made many life-long friends while Roy worked with Royal Dutch Shell. They returned to the States and lived briefly in Connecticut before settling in Lafayette, CA. After Roy passed away, she moved to Heritage Point in Walnut Creek and eventually moved back to her hometown of Petaluma where she lived at first at Springfield Place and then Sunrise of Petaluma.

Following her longtime interest in history, she became a volunteer at the Oakland Museum. Her lifelong curiosity about people, history and the world led her to study genealogy, delving deeply into the history of her family that resulted in a book of the travels of her Hawaiian missionary ancestors from Boston to Hawaii.

Charlotte loved keeping in touch with family and friends, always curious about the world. Though she and Roy were childless, she opened her heart and home to many young people over the years and was an influential guide in their lives. Dr. Nana Premadi of Indonesia became her heart-adopted daughter. Nana traveled to the States often to stay with Charlotte. Charlotte is also remembered for her fondness for choosing just the right clothes, the perfect pin and scarf, always remembering to wear lipstick as well as keeping her hair colored.

Charlotte is survived by many nieces and nephews: Odile’s children: Ann Nisson, Jack Nisson (Hope), Jim’s children: Judy, Carol, Jennifer, MaryAnn, Michael, Stephen, Cate, and Chris Morris, and Sam’s children: Russell and Brian Morris, Virginia’s children: Jill Best Starr and Jack Best.

We wish to thank the staff at both Springfield and Sunrise for the deep care that gave to her. Memorial gifts may be made to Hospice of Petaluma. Family and friends will be gathering to celebrate Charlotte’s life on July 6.