Been A Long Week

Three days after getting home from our Tennessee vacation my step-father passed away. Bill had been sick for quite sometime, and while his passing was expected, it was still a shock.

He and my mother were married for almost twenty years and until this past February he'd never had anything worse than a cold.

He was a great guy, a christian gentleman, and he was good to Mom. He was also a grandfather to my kids when most men wouldn't have wanted to fool with them. We miss him already.

His obituary from the Times-News

RIDGELEY, W.Va.— William F. “Bill” Morgan, of Ridgeley, W.Va., went to be with his Lord and deceased family members on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2009, at the age of 90, at his home with family members by his side.

Born on Dec. 5, 1918, in Cumberland, he was the son of the late Merten Isaac Morgan and Julia Pleasant (Hymes) Morgan. He was also preceded in death by his first wife, Elizabeth (Stewart) in 1988; one sister, Mary Rice, and three brothers Melvin, Harold and Homer Morgan. He was the last member of his immediate family.

After Bill attended Allegany High School, he worked as a charge hand at the Cumberland Celanese Fibers Plant, before joining the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II. He graduated from radar school at Boca Raton, Fla., and served in Europe as a radar technician with the 306th Bomb Group. He was always ready to talk about how he was on the cutting edge of the new radar technology, and had many war stories to tell. He finished his service to his country as a sergeant in 1946.

Returning to Cumberland after the war, Bill graduated from Catherman’s Business School. He began working at Super Concrete (on Henderson Avenue, now Cumberland Concrete in LaVale), and retired from there in 1981 as the President and part owner of the company. He also was a bookkeeper and tax preparer for a number of contractors and business individuals over the years.

Bill belonged to a variety of business, community, and church organiza?tions over his lifetime, including the LaVale Methodist Church, LaVale Fire Department, Cumberland Chamber of Commerce and Western Maryland Contractor’s Association. Bill was very active for a number of years at Holy Cross UM Church in Carpendale, and became a Certified Lay Speaker in 1990. He was treasurer of the Union Grove Camp Meeting Association, and member of the September Singers. Recently, he had been attending Grace Brethren Church, Cumberland. Bill’s love of playing the guitar and singing gave him and others pleasure throughout his life. He played at many worship events and local nursing homes. He could play by note or “ear” on the banjo, violin, mandolin and harmonica. In his younger years, Bill enjoyed hunting, especially turkey.

Bill was very blessed to have two special women in his life, Elizabeth and Marian, and he enjoyed 90 years of good health.

Survivors include his second wife, Marian (Smith) Hutter; a daughter, JoAnn Brotemarkle and husband David, of Bel Air; a grandson, Aaron Morgan Brotemarkle and wife Natalie, of Bel Air; great-granddaughters, Kayla Elizabeth and Megan Rose Brotemarkle; a granddaughter, Kristi Lyn Perkins and husband Kip, of Nashville, Tenn.; stepgreat-grandsons Jacob Hartman, USAF, Texas, Jesse Hartman, of Keyser, and Chris and Chase Perkins, of Nashville, Tenn.; stepgreat-granddaughter Lacey Hartman, of Keyser; one stepson, Paul Hutter and wife Ann, of Cumberland; stepgrandson John Hutter, of Clarksville, Tenn; stepgranddaughters Lori Hutter and Sara Hutter and fiance Aaron Clark; stepgreat-grandson Jackson Clark, of Cumberland; sister-in-law Gerda Morgan, of Victorville, Calif., and a number of nieces and nephews.

Friends will be received at the Scarpelli Funeral Home, P.A., 108 Virginia Ave., Cumberland, scarpellifuneralhomes.com on Monday from 4 to 7 p.m.

Funeral services will be conducted in the funeral home on Tuesday at 2 p.m. with the Rev. Fred Iser officiating.

Interment will be in Sunset Memorial Park.

Military honors will be accorded by the Post 13 Veterans Honor Guard.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations may be made to Hospice of Potomac Valley Hospital, 167 S. Mineral St., Keyser, WV 26726.

The family would like to especially thank the Hospice workers from Potomac Valley Hospital for the loving care and support given to Bill and his family, and for his caring sitters, Ethel Durst, Matilda Wilhelm, Doris Tomlinson, and Kathy Friend.