January 16, 1920 – September 5, 2012

A. D. (Red) Morgan, 92, passed away Wednesday, September 5, 2012, at a local hospital.

Funeral services were held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, September 8, 2012, at Scott’s Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Tim Crosby officiating. Interment followed at Smith Cemetery in Purmela.

Red was born on January 16, 1920, in Purmela, Texas, to Charles Dudley and Deannie Mae Wise Morgan. He grew up in several communities in Coryell County, including Purmela, Ireland, Cold Springs, Mound and Levita. He only completed 8th grade, but he later would serve on the Levita School Board. One of his sisters had polio which left her with weak legs and it was Red’s job to lead her horse to school.

He served his country with Battery “B” 93 AAA Gun Battalion during WWII. He was proud to say he only had one 36-hour pass during his four years of service. He was stationed in Hawaii and then Baker Island, where his battalion earned a citation for most planes shot down during one battle. He earned sharpshooter status and was awarded a Bronze Star, Good Conduct Award and American Defense Service Medal.

After the war, Red was a truck driver for CCC Camp #2895 in Gatesville for two years, where he learned his carpentry trade. He also worked on a park near Carlsbad, NM, while with CCC.

Red married his lifelong love, Gladys Aline Hale, on May 10, 1947. They spent most of their lives in Levita, where they raised their three sons. They loved community, family and church, but most of all, God. There was nothing they wouldn’t do to better those around them. Red was always working to upkeep the church building. He loved doing carpentry work and took pride in what he did.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Aline; parents; son, Larry Eugene; sisters, Opal Davis, Christine Dryer, Beulah Comer and infant, Vada Marie Morgan; brothers, Garnett Morgan, L.O. (Rusty) Morgan, C.A. Morgan and Harold (Pill) Morgan; daughter-in-law, Sue Morgan; and two infant granddaughters, Sunna Leigh and Alicia Lyn Morgan.

A.D. (Red) is survived by two sons, Gary Morgan and wife, Nancy, of Gatesville and Randy Morgan and wife, Christy, of Gatesville; brother, Bob Morgan, of Keller; grandsons, Jared Morgan, of Portland, OR, and R.J Morgan, of Kingsland, TX; granddaughters, Meredith Morgan, of Gatesville, Megan West and husband, Gregory, of Temple, TX and Amy Kelley of Kingsland, TX; and great-grandchildren, Callie West and Derick and Kaitlynn Kelley.

He was a sweet quiet man, a man of few words, who set big examples by the way he lived his life. In his latter years, when asked how he was doing, he’d reply, “I’m still kicking, just not very high.” Well Red, now you are leaping, jumping and dancing with joy as you are reunited with loved ones who passed on before you.

Memorials may be made to the charity of your choice or to Trinity Baptist Church Bldg. Fund, 1506 W. Main, Gatesville, TX 76528.