Melvin Leon Morgan

Melvin L. Morgan, 85, passed away on October 5, 2004, following a long illness. He is survived by his children: Dr. Melvin D. Morgan and his wife, Dr. Yvonne Morgan, of Los Angeles, CA; Leslie J. Graham and her husband, Dennis, of Oklahoma City; Lizbeth J. Rose and her husband, Jack, of Midland, TX; and Philip D. Morgan and his wife, Dianne, of Atlanta, GA; his grandchildren: Scott Wrigley and his wife, Wendy, of Blanchard; Marc Rose of Dallas, TX; PFC Eric Rose of Ft. Carson, CO; Jennifer and Stephanie Morgan of Atlanta, GA, and his great-granddaughter; Morgan Wrigley of Blanchard. Also surviving are his sister, Mrs. Amy I. Lohner, of Chickasha; his brother, Capt. Walter N. Morgan USN, ret. of Arlington, VA; several cousins; and many nieces and nephews. Mr. Morgan was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Lola, in March 2003. Melvin Leon Morgan was born to Edward and Edna Moline Morgan on April 4, 1919, in Welty, OK. A graduate of Okemah High School and also Hills Business College in Oklahoma City, Mr. Morgan was employed at First National Bank in Alex, when he was drafted into the Army in September 1942. He was stationed in Great Britain during World War II, and held the rank of Staff Sergeant when he was honorably discharged in November 1945. He then worked at First National Bank in Blanchard until n1947, when he and Mrs. Morgan purchased controlling interest in First State Bank of Ketchum. At the age of 28, he thus became the youngest bank president in the state of Oklahoma. The Morgans lived in Ketchum for 26 years; during 25 of those years, Mr. Morgan was a member of the Board of Education for Ketchum Public Schools. For many years, he taught a church school class at Ketchum United Methodist Church, where he also held many positions of church leadership, and where he and Mrs. Morgan sponsored the Methodist Youth Fellowship. His numerous involvements in the Ketchum community included attainment of a municipal water system, sponsorship of a summer youth baseball program, and leadership in the Commercial Club and the Grand Lake Association. In 1973, the Morgans sold their interest in the Ketchum bank and moved to Oklahoma City, where for many years Mr. Morgan was employed by the Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church: first at the Council on Ministries; later at the Circle of Care earlier called Children, Youth and Family Services; and, until December 1998, at the Oklahoma United Methodist Foundation. He and Mrs. Morgan were active members of Nichols Hills United Methodist Church, and for many years Mr. Morgan was lay delegate to the Oklahoma United Methodist Annual Conference earlier from the Ketchum church and later from the Nichols Hills Church. For several years, he was a member of the Board of Directors at the United Methodist Children?s Home in Tahlequah, where he also served as secretary of that Board. Mr. Morgan was a 32nd degree Mason and a member of the Guthrie Consistory; he also belonged to the VFW and the American Legion. His family gratefully remembers Mr. Morgan for his committed nature; his belief in the value of sustained hard work; and his consistent devotion to the greater community good. The Morgan family requests that memorials be directed to the benefit of Nichols Hills United Methodist Church.