Russ Morgan

Marvin Russel Morgan the son of Albert Raymond and Emma Loise (Barnholt) Morgan was born on August 23, 1922, in Wiota, Iowa.

He graduated from Wiota High School and attended college in Missoula, Montana, before entering the military as a Navy pilot in 1942 serving his country during WW II until 1944. Following his military service, Russ worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Washington D.C. for about 2 years.

It was during his employment with the FBI that he met Jean Griffith. On February 18, 1950, they were united in marriage in Winona, Minnesota, spending their honeymoon in New Orleans, Louisiana. Together Russ and Jean moved to the farm in Anita, Iowa, where they raised their two sons. He worked as the Post Master in Anita from 1956 until 1971. Russ then became the Lewis Rural Mail Carrier until his retirement in the late 70s. He retired from the Post Office, but continued to work on the farm that he loved, raising his prized Angus cattle.

Russ and Jean enjoyed traveling, taking the family on trips to numerous locations including Canada and Mexico. He was a well versed man and liked to stay current by reading the Des Moines Register and the Atlantic News Telegraph. Another part of Russ' daily routine included going to town to the elevator to check the market prices with his cattle dog "Blue", who was always at his side. Other interests included spending time watching the cows and their calves, and hunting deer and pheasants.

After losing his wife, Jean, in 1989, Russ continued to live on the farm until 2003, when he moved to the Heritage House in Atlantic, where he passed away Wednesday, May 28, 2008.

Russ was a member of the Masonic Lodge, the Shriners, the Lake Anita planning committee, along with helping with other civic activities in the community. He attended the Wiota United Methodist Church.

He is survived by his sons, Joe Morgan and his wife, Jayna, of Garden City, Kansas, and Jim Morgan of Cape Neddick, Maine; his grandsons, Matt Morgan and his wife, Amanda, of Kansas City, Missouri, and Grant Morgan of Denver, Colorado; and his friend and caregiver, Lila Kunze of Lewis .

Preceding him in death include his wife, Jean; his parents, Albert and Emma Morgan; and his brother, Paul Morgan.

Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m., Saturday, May 31, 2008, in the Chapel at Hockenberry Family Care in Atlantic. Burial will be in the Atlantic Cemetery, with a luncheon to follow in the Hockenberry Family Care Community Room.

Visitation will be from 1:00 to 8:00 p.m., Friday, May 30, 2008, at Hockenberry Family Care in Atlantic, with the family present to greet friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers memorials be made to the Wiota United Methodist Church, the Alzheimer's Foundation (www.alzfdn.org), or the Heritage House.