Edward Bryan Morrison, Jr.

‘Pastor Bryan’ was born in Smackover, Arkansas, the first son of Edward Bryan Morrison and the former Gertrude Leah Pendleton. But these were the days of extensive oil exploration in Arkansas and Louisiana, so by the time he was six months old, his pipeliner dad had moved the family to Cajun Country—Franklin, Louisiana. More specifically, for his first eight years, they lived in ‘Humble Camp’ on the Bayou Sale, with the snakes and the alligators, the fishing and crabbing and frog-gigging, where he developed his lifetime love of Cajun people and ALL things outdoors. But he was younger than the other boys in the camp, and had to learn to defend himself. After he invited his second-grade teacher to ‘drop dead,’ she warned his parents that unless they did something drastic, ’that boy’ would end up in reform school! So they moved into Franklin, and for the next twenty years, his dad drove twenty-five miles roundtrip to work every day. But there the young rebel encountered Mrs. Thibodeaux, who he credits with turning his life around.

With a dad who held almost every office in their Baptist church, (including Sunday School teacher for five-year-olds); and a mom who was the organist, ladies’ teacher, and self-appointed visitation chairman wherever she lived all her life, Bryan was definitely in church every Sunday. About this time, he committed his life to the Lord himself, beginning to develop that deep relationship that would become a blessing to so many over the years. He completed week-long evening study courses and went to summer church camps as a child, and studied for three years at Louisiana College (now Louisiana Christian University), not knowing that he was laying the Scriptural foundation for a lifetime of service to his Lord and to his fellowman.

But Bryan was also becoming a ‘man’s man’, one who could relate to people in all walks of life. In his dad’s position as a superintendent for Humble Pipeline, he kept Bryan busy (earning his college tuition) from the tenth grade in the oilfield, earning $150 a month tending a wellsite after school, then working each summer in the swamps or on the water as roustabout, painter, laborer, deckhand, whatever! His co-workers –and bosses—were the roughest of the rough, and the work was the toughest of the tough, but he was preparing to relate to EVERY kind of person to whom he would need to minister in the future.

Continuing that preparation…After completing his Bachelor’s degree in Production Management at University of Southwestern Louisiana (now University of Louisiana at Lafayette), Bryan was employed as a truck driver-management trainee at Welders Supply Company in New Iberia. Through hard work, a series of circumstances, and the favor of God, in three months he was made the manager of that store, and it was that company that sent him here to Houston to manage a new store being opened off Clinton Drive. But within three months, a new and deeper commitment to the Lord caused him to quit that job because of business practices he could no longer perform.

After three months of unemployment (during which God blessed with a ‘private seminary course’ of just ‘devouring’ the Word!), Bryan became a partner with two other men in a solid, profitable business called United Welding Supply. FINALLY, he possessed the vehicle to fulfill his dream of becoming a millionaire, for a few years down the road, when that company sold, that would have been his share. But God had other plans! One night while driving down Pasadena Boulevard, Bryan heard an audible voice, directing him to ‘Feed my sheep,’ and again, ‘Feed my sheep,’ and then a third time, ‘Feed my lambs.’ After protesting for a time that he could not possible fulfill that task, and being reminded that it would not be in his strength alone, he finally said, ‘Yes, Lord.’

Thus, in 1974, began Church of the Living Water, a non-denominational fellowship submitted to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and committed to praise His name and bring in His Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven. It remains to this day, under the name Living Water Church, an active, viable, functioning body of Christ, at 4325 West Pasadena Boulevard, Deer Park.

From the start, God created in Bryan a vision of ministering to the needs of individuals to their deepest core, of reaching out into the community to foster fellowship and cooperation among the churches, as well as of spreading the Gospel to the nations. And from the inner healing and deliverance of individuals, to organizing interdenominational community prayer at several levels, to sending out mission teams to every continent except Australia, he lived to see those visions become reality. Whether he ever heard this quote from Dr. Dwight L. Moody, its spirit resonates with his own: ‘The world has yet to see what God can do with a man fully consecrated to Him.’

Bryan is survived by his wife of sixty-one years, the former Margaret Anne Barnes, of Deer Park; a daughter Danna Kaye Shaw (Jamie), of LaPorte; granddaughters Paula Morgan Sullivan Harms (Brandon), Blair LyAnne Shaw Chandler (Dakota), Adrianne Celeste Sullivan (Zachary), and Darby Kaye Shaw Deshotel (Ryan). He leaves also his very special great-grandchildren: Anniston Chandler, Deacon Chandler, and Rowan Deshotel.

Two of his brothers survive him: Alan Keith Morrison (Cindy)of El Dorado, Arkansas, and John Warner Morrison(Diana) of Texarkana, Arkansas; and one sister-in-love, Christie Blaylock Morrison, of Lumberton, Texas.

He is also survived by numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and their families, as well as friends and brothers and sisters in the Lord too numerous to count.

Bryan is predeceased by his parents, one brother, Ronald Macon (Randy) Morrison, and a daughter, Paula Anne Morrison Sullivan.

A CELEBRATION OF LIFE will take place Saturday, August 19, at 10:00 am at Central Baptist Church, Deer Park. The physical address is 1920 Center Street, Deer Park. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to House of Prayer of Deer Park, the Morrisons’ interdenominational prayer ministry. The Venmo address is Margaret-Morrison-23.


To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Edward Bryan Morrison, Jr., please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.



Memorial Service

Saturday, August 19, 2023
10:00 AM
Central Baptist Church
2010 Center Street
Deer Park, TX 77536

 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Edward Bryan Morrison, Jr., please visit our floral store.