William C. Morgan, decorated veteran
William C. Morgan, 97, of Fieldwood in Rehoboth Beach, and formerly of Wilmington and Newark, passed away suddenly at the Moorings in Lewes Sunday, April 8, 2018. Billy was born Oct. 25, 1920, in Wilmington, son of the late Ralph and Blanche Quinn Morgan.
Billy was educated in Wilmington Public Schools, graduating from P.S. du Pont High School class of January 1939, and Goldey Beacom College in June 1952. He was employed by the Du Pont Company from March 1939 until August 1942 when he enlisted in the Navy. He served in the Atlantic on the patrol boat YP11 and in the Pacific on the destroyer escort USS Edwin A. Howard DE 346 with the 7th fleet in the Philippines.
After the war, Howard remained in the Pacific on occupation duty until November, returning to the states Dec. 17, 1945. He was honorably discharged as petty officer 3rd class Feb. 16, 1946, and returned to work for the Du Pont Company as a distribution analyst and customer service representative until his retirement Nov. 30, 1982, with 39 years of dedicated service. He also had been employed as a firefighter with the Wilmington Fire Department from 1948-52.
Billy's beloved wife of 58 years, Dorothy Fisher Morgan, preceded him in death Sept. 18, 2007. He is survived by three daughters: Jeanne E. Moore and her husband the Rev. Col. Gary L. Moore, retired, of Easton, Md., Diane B. Conte, caregiver who lived with her father in Rehoboth Beach, and Faye M. Duffy of Newark. Also surviving are two grandsons: David C. Webster and Nicholas M. Conte; two granddaughters: Courtney E. Moore and Jillian M. Duffy; one great-grandson, David W. Moore; his sister-in-law Virginia Rossiter and husband Paul; two nephews; one niece; and cousins Paul Rossiter and Vivian Wisner. Bill is predeceased by a very good friend and classmate through junior and senior high school, Louzetta L. Morris.
Bill and his wife enjoyed attending Navy reunions and Shriner conventions. They also enjoyed attending Blue Hen football games, and had season tickets for more than 20 years. He was a member of Epworth United Methodist Church in Rehoboth Beach, a former member of Brandywine UMC in Wilmington and Christiana UMC in Christiana. He was a 32nd degree mason, member of Hiram Lodge No. 25 A.F.&A.M. in Newark since 1967.
Bill was a member of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite Valley of Wilmington since 1968 and the Nur Shriners since 1969, both in Wilmington, as well as the Shrine Club of Delaware and the Lower Delaware Shrine Club. Other clubs he was a member of were the Quarterdeck Club and plank owner of the Navy Memorial Foundation, the Navy Log, the Destroyer Escort Sailors Association, also American Legion Post No. 5 and a life member of VFW Post 2774, both of Rehoboth Beach.
For his Navy service in World War II, Bill was awarded the following medals and citation: Navy Good Conduct, American Theater, Asiatic Pacific Theater with two stars, World War II Victory, Navy Occupation Asia, Philippine Liberation with two stars and the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.
Funeral with Masonic Services will be held Friday, April 13, at 7 p.m., at Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Atkins-Lodge Chapel, 16961 Kings Highway, Lewes, where friends may call starting at 6:30 p.m.
Interment with military honors will be held Saturday, April 14, at 10 a.m., at Gracelawn Memorial Park, 2220 North Dupont Highway, New Castle.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations may be made to the Shriners Hospitals for Children, 3551 North Broad St., Philadelphia PA 19140-4131, or to the charity of your choice.
Please visit Mr. Morgan's Life Memorial Webpage and sign his online guestbook at www.parsellfuneralhomes.com.
