Donald Dean Morgan

Donald Dean Morgan, 85, of Goodyear, Arizona, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on October 27, 2020. He was born in Columbus Junction, Iowa, on February 22, 1935. He graduated from Columbus Junction High School in 1953 and served in the U.S. Navy and the Naval Reserve for 8 years. He earned his degree in pharmacy from the University of Iowa after discharge from active duty in the Navy.

He married Barbara (Rosene) Morgan in 1954 and they had two daughters, Donna Morgan and Deana (Morgan) Irvine. They moved to Prescott, Arizona in 1963 where Don served as Chief Pharmacist at Yavapai Community Hospital.

Starting in 1973, Don was an officer in the United States Public Health Service for 31 years working in the Indian Health Service.  He worked at various locations including San Carlos, Towaoc, Cibecue, Kotzebue, Phoenix, Anchorage, and Denver.  He worked as pharmacist, facilities planner and personnel director. He received many medals and awards during his service. After 35 years of Navy and USPHS service, he retired in 2004.

In 1992, he married Rachel (Lopez) Morgan. They resided in Anchorage and Colorado before returning to Arizona and settling in Goodyear in 2005.  Since then, they have been members of Avondale Baptist Church (formerly First Southern Baptist Church of Avondale). Don was a deacon in the church and has faithfully served his Lord.

Don was deeply loved by so many. He was an amazing man!  He was a kind, loving, patient, funny, generous, gentle man who loved his Lord, his wife, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, extended family, and many, many friends! He loved to spend quality time with his family and friends. He loved to read his Bible and every book on Heaven that he could find.

He loved football, baseball, basketball, board games, card games, movies, reading, traveling, fishing, crossword puzzles, the comics (especially the Sunday comics), Mexican food and ice cream! He was an excellent singer, musician, and actor in his younger years. His life-long dream to visit his ancestral home in Wales came true in 2013, praise God!

He is survived by Rachel Morgan, his wife of 28 years, his daughters Deana Irvine (David) and Donna Morgan, stepdaughter Julieta Noble and stepson Morgan Ellig (Natalie), brother Dave Morgan (Jane), sister Nancy Fischer (Jerry), 11 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, several “adopted” grandchildren (especially in our church), and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and in-laws.

He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Donald Emlyn and Carrol Irene Morgan, and his sisters, Rosalie Reed and Margaret Arnold.

Visitation will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, November 14, followed by a funeral service at 11 a.m. at Avondale Baptist Church, 1001 N. Central, Avondale, Arizona 85323. Please wear masks and practice social distancing. There will be no reception afterwards. A private interment in the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona on Cave Creek Rd. will take place on Monday, Nov. 16.

Charitable donations may be made in Don’s name to Avondale Baptist Church, http://www.abcaz.net or to Hospice of the Valley, http://www.hov.org/donate.