1921
Joseph
2013
Joseph A. Morgan
March 1, 1921 — October 14, 2013
Joseph Anthony Morgan passed away peacefully at his home in Rancho Palos Verdes on October 14, 2013 at the age of 92 and 1/2.
He was born March 1, 1921 to James and Mary Morgan in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was one of five children. Joe graduated from the Naval Academy in 1943 as the class of 1944 with an engineering degree and entered World War II by serving aboard the light cruiser USS Birmingham in the Pacific. He married Anna Castner on October 23, 1944. Her family lived around the corner where he grew up in Norwood, PA. He earned his pilot's wings on Sept. 10, 1945, the same day as his first son's birth. During his 20 years in the Navy, Joe and Anne moved to many places including Pensacola, FL; Hawaii; Monterey, CA; Patuxent River, MD; Brunswick, ME; Annapolis, MD; and Norfolk, VA. Joe also deployed overseas in the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean, which required months of separation from his family. He primarily flew the PB4Y-2 Privateer and P2V-7 Neptune among other aircraft, for anti-submarine warfare missions and for carrying cargo and passengers. He also flew planes into typhoons to research and track them. As a result, he became very interested in weather, and he earned a degree in Meteorology from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. He then worked on an admiral's staff as a weatherman in Patuxent River, MD. He later taught meteorology at the Naval Academy. His last assignment was as a meteorologist aboard the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid in Norfolk, VA.
The family had grown to six children by the time he retired in July 1963. Joe and Anne moved the family to California when he accepted a job one month later with North American Aviation. He retired from Boeing in 1985 after working for over 20 years as an Operations Analyst. Joe and Anne made their home in Rancho Palos Verdes in 1964. They helped to build St. John Fisher Catholic Church. Joe loved to sing and happily sang in the church choir for 45 years. Anne passed away in 2008, three days short of 64 years of marriage. Joe is survived by his children, J. Michael (Teresa) Morgan, Catherine (Skip) Moore, David (Cheryl Demerest) Morgan, M. Patrice (Arturo) Abarca, Thomas Morgan, Margaret (Larry) Henry; 13 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; and brother, Daniel (Nancy) Morgan.
He was a smart and kind gentle man who will be missed by all who knew him.
Viewing and prayers are at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 23, 2013 at St. John Fisher with Funeral Mass at 11:00, located at 5448 Crest Road, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275. Interment will follow in Green Hills Memorial Park.
Funeral Home:
Green Hills Mortuary and Memorial Chapel
27501 S.Western Ave.
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
US 90275
He was born March 1, 1921 to James and Mary Morgan in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was one of five children. Joe graduated from the Naval Academy in 1943 as the class of 1944 with an engineering degree and entered World War II by serving aboard the light cruiser USS Birmingham in the Pacific. He married Anna Castner on October 23, 1944. Her family lived around the corner where he grew up in Norwood, PA. He earned his pilot's wings on Sept. 10, 1945, the same day as his first son's birth. During his 20 years in the Navy, Joe and Anne moved to many places including Pensacola, FL; Hawaii; Monterey, CA; Patuxent River, MD; Brunswick, ME; Annapolis, MD; and Norfolk, VA. Joe also deployed overseas in the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean, which required months of separation from his family. He primarily flew the PB4Y-2 Privateer and P2V-7 Neptune among other aircraft, for anti-submarine warfare missions and for carrying cargo and passengers. He also flew planes into typhoons to research and track them. As a result, he became very interested in weather, and he earned a degree in Meteorology from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. He then worked on an admiral's staff as a weatherman in Patuxent River, MD. He later taught meteorology at the Naval Academy. His last assignment was as a meteorologist aboard the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid in Norfolk, VA.
The family had grown to six children by the time he retired in July 1963. Joe and Anne moved the family to California when he accepted a job one month later with North American Aviation. He retired from Boeing in 1985 after working for over 20 years as an Operations Analyst. Joe and Anne made their home in Rancho Palos Verdes in 1964. They helped to build St. John Fisher Catholic Church. Joe loved to sing and happily sang in the church choir for 45 years. Anne passed away in 2008, three days short of 64 years of marriage. Joe is survived by his children, J. Michael (Teresa) Morgan, Catherine (Skip) Moore, David (Cheryl Demerest) Morgan, M. Patrice (Arturo) Abarca, Thomas Morgan, Margaret (Larry) Henry; 13 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; and brother, Daniel (Nancy) Morgan.
He was a smart and kind gentle man who will be missed by all who knew him.
Viewing and prayers are at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 23, 2013 at St. John Fisher with Funeral Mass at 11:00, located at 5448 Crest Road, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275. Interment will follow in Green Hills Memorial Park.
Funeral Home:
Green Hills Mortuary and Memorial Chapel
27501 S.Western Ave.
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
US 90275
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