Jennifer Morris, UC Berkeley junior with ‘bright future,’ among Oakland fire victims

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Jennifer Morris was sincere and gentle, family members said, with a melodic singing voice that could stop you in your tracks.

On Friday night, Morris, 21, headed to a concert with a friend. But she never made it home.

The UC Berkeley junior, who majored in media studies, was confirmed to be among the 36 people killed in the Oakland warehouse fire. Her roommate, Vanessa Plotkin, 21, also died.

“This is devastating as Jenny was such a beautiful, intelligent, creative, caring and sincere young lady with a bright future ahead of her,” said her father, Michael Morris. At a vigil on campus Thursday, he added, “I feel her right here in my heart.”

Known to friends as “Jenny,” Morris grew up in Foster City. She attended Peninsula Hope Church in Redwood City and was in their youth and music programs. After graduating from San Mateo High in 2013, she studied at UC Santa Cruz before transferring.

Her cousin, Drew Morris, said Jenny was a bright star — beautiful, loving, caring, and intelligent.

“Our church family aches for Jenny’s family and (walks) alongside the Morris family in this difficult time,” said Pastor Daniel Baxter of Peninsula Hope Church. “We also find peace in the assurance that nothing can interfere with the love God has for his children.”

Morris loved to travel, friends said. A photo snapped in January showed her visiting Tokyo, where she had gone on a mission with her church in 2010.

She was remembered as compassionate, strong and adventurous. She had been the kind of teenager who would play mud football with the boys, diving into the dirt for the ball.

And she was the kind of college student that dazzled her friends with her ability to impeccably apply makeup.

“I’d always see Jenny in the mornings (in the dorms) before class,” said Melanie Asor, 18. “I’d always tell her how perfectly she would do her eyebrows and eyeliner. I would always tell her how pretty she was.”

To her older brother, Morris will be most remembered for her music.

“Growing up, music and art were such an important part of our lives,” said Chris Morris. “We learned the guitar together. She had a beautiful voice. We would play songs together.”

In high school, she would post videos of musical covers on YouTube. She sang with her church, too.

“She showed compassion and selfless acceptance of the struggles of others,” said Chie Funatogawa, who helped lead Morris’ youth group. “We were blessed to have shared that time with her, as she shined her light upon everyone she interacted with.

“She is now singing with the angels.”

Lizzie Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ljohnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LizzieJohnsonnn