For nearly four decades in Atlanta, a gospel music concert was not considered complete unless Morris Ector was at the microphone, encouraging and entertaining the faithful.
At a small church or the Atlanta Civic Center, it was common for Mr. Ector to be so moved by a performance, he would “shout” all over the place, “constantly rubbing the top of his head as if he could rub the Holy Ghost off,” said longtime friend Sunshine Lewis.
“When the Holy Ghost came in, Morris would shout and dance so hard, and then fall right back into place to call on the next group to sing,” Ms. Lewis said.
Morris Ector, 58, died Sept. 24 of complications following a heart attack, said his brother Lamar Ector of Atlanta. He said his younger brother never regained consciousness after the attack.
A funeral service is noon Saturday at Wings of Faith Worldwide Ministries in Conley, Ga. William Gayleano Murray & Son Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Gospel music, in fact, was an integral part of family life in Mr. Ector's Mechanicsville home. At age 6, he began singing with the Spiritual Ayers, a group started by his mother, Annette Ayers Ector, and her twin sister, Juliette Swift.
Gospel music also surrounded the family of nine children, literally. Mr. Ector knew and grew up in the same neighborhood as one of today’s most respected gospel singers, LaShun Pace and her family.
Morris Ector’s knowledge of gospel music and his singing talent made the transition to a career in radio easy.
He began at WCLK, the radio station at Clark Atlanta University, where he majored in communications after graduating from Carver Vocational High School.
The WCLK experience helped him land radio announcing jobs at several Atlanta gospel stations, including WAOK, WYZE and WIGO.
Mr. Ector made his biggest impressions, however, at gospel concerts as master of ceremony, artists and friends say.
Impeccably dressed, he was a regular emcee for longtime WAOK radio personality Esmond Patterson, who was Mr. Ector’s mentor at the popular gospel radio station.
Patterson, who died in 2003, attracted national artists to his annual concerts at either the old Atlanta Municipal Auditorium or the Atlanta Civic Center. It was Mr. Ector’s job to keep the music and evening flowing.
“Everybody that was somebody that knew anything about gospel music knew Morris Ector,” said Inez Mayfield, a longtime Atlanta gospel singer and friend. “He was just that kind of person.”
Ms. Mayfield said Mr. Ector was emcee for her annual concerts every January. He left his hospital bed earlier this year to attend her concert at Little Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Decatur.
“That’s what love will do,” Ms. Mayfield said.
Like many radio announcers, Mr. Ector found other jobs to supplement his income. He worked at Sam’s Club before he died. He’d also taught school in Atlanta, worked at Southside Health Center and at one point opened a restaurant on Cleveland Avenue.
Ms. Lewis, Mr. Ector’s longtime friend, also said he was respected in his Brandywine townhouse community in south Atlanta, where he’d lived for more than 30 years.
“He never met a stranger, and he expressed his love to all he met,” Ms. Lewis said.
Mr. Ector's father, the Rev. Lonnie Young, preceded him in death. In addition to his mother and brother, he is survived by sister Lucy Ector of Atlanta, brother Larry Ector of Atlanta, stepbrother Roland Young of Atlanta.
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