John William "Bill" Morgan

He attended Prairie Point, Texas, school until age 16. He joined the U.S. Army on February 25th, 1943. He served in Battery D, 552nd Anti-Aircraft Division during World War II. He was discharged February 22, 1946, and worked in the oil fields in Texas for awhile. He re-entered the Army July 5, 1948, in Dallas, TX. He was sent to Germany with the 1st Division Field Artillery, and was there from November 1948 until spring 1949. He was sent to Fort Lewis, Washington, and was assigned to Battery C, 37th Field Artillery, 2nd Division. (Their logo was the Indianhead.) In July 1950, he was sent to Korea. He was honorably discharged from the service April 21st, 1952, and returned to Olympia, WA. He received the Bronze Star Medal for bravery as a forward observer in Korea.

He married Ruth Breer in Yakima, WA, on March 13, 1952. They lived in various towns in Washington State. He worked for the Washington State Forestry Department and Washington State Fisheries Department.

He and his wife had two children, Richard William Morgan, and Diane Ruth Morgan.

Richard married Cheryl Lynne (Ransier) Morgan. They have three children, John, Michael, & Charlotte. Michael & his wife, Chelsea, have a daughter, Avery, and a son, Denzen.

John (Bill) Morgan was preceded in death by his parents, William Ernest & Lucinda Jane (Bumpas) Morgan; his wife, Ruth; a sister, Virginia Alice Johnson; a nephew, Arthur Lynn and a close friend, Clyde Cook. He is survived by his children, grandchildren, great-grand-children, his sister, Jettie Penaluna, a niece, Sue Dalke, and 3 nephews, Robert, Scott, and Michael Penaluna, and nephew, Robert (Joann) Turner. His many surviving friends include Earl Hall and Ray and Lynne Bick.

Bill's hobbies included duck hunting, fishing, and socializing. He was a John Wayne fan, and loved Western movies and country music.

In his early years, Bill was a Southern Baptist. He was a member of the 1st Baptist Church in Bellingham, WA, where he sang in the choir. John lived in Yakima from 1963 until moving to the Washington Soldiers Home. He attended St. Michael's and St. Timothy's Episcopal Churches in Yakima. He was a member of VFW 379 in Yakima, Washington. He was a volunteer at the Yakima Food Bank.

For the last nine years, following a stroke and suffering declining health, he was a resident of the Washington Soldiers Home in Orting, WA. The family extends their gratitude to everyone who provided care for him there. There will be a graveside inurnment service at 1pm, Friday, October 5, 2012 at Tahoma Cemetery, Yakima, WA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society. To share a memory visit www.keithandkeith.com. Arrangements are under the care and direction of Keith and Keith Funeral Home.