From horseless carriages to same-sex marriages, Walter (Wally) David Morgan (8/9/1923 to 12/31/2018) experienced the joys, tragedies and wonders of this age with enthusiasm, kindness and a love of family and friends.

Born in Los Angeles in 1923, Walter graduated from Compton High School and enlisted in the Coast Guard shortly after Pearl Harbor where he served in the Pacific- notably in the Battle for the Philippines. In 1954 he married Verla Anderson and became father to her daughter Candi (Lemmond). They had three other children- Gary Morgan (La Verne, CA), Val Hellar (Orcas Island) and Scott Morgan (Medford, OR). The family enjoyed road trips, camping, Disneyland and dirt bike riding. Wally always said yes to any suggestion of adventure. Rarely did he say No to a cold beer or a car trip. He traveled to Egypt, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, Hawaii and Fiji with various friends and family. After retiring from the Los Angeles School District he and Verla retired to Tucson Arizona where he continued golfing (Wally got a Hole- in -one in 1993) and hosting family and friends looking for a warm Arizona experience during the winter.

After Verla died in 2003, Wally moved to Orcas Island to be near his daughters. There he met his second love: Irene O’Neill. He and Irene continued on adventures by traveling through the Panama Canal (with Irene’s daughter Evonn and her husband Jeff). They also enjoyed trips to Costa Rica, Canada, Alaska and Hawaii. Wally and Irene were founding members of the Turn point Light Station and were regulars at the Senior Center. He was a member of the Orcas Island Legion Hall, Orcas Historical Museum and Olga Community Club. He and Irene took great pleasure in joining Irene’s children Evonn, Robert, Mark and Lisa (Gassar) in camping, riding 4-wheelers and picking huckleberries.

In addition to his children, Wally will be missed by his loving companion Irene and her family (including 7 grandchildren), sons-in-law Jim Hellar and Cyrus Lemmond (Orcas Island), daughter-in-law Rachel Morgan (La Verne, CA), 10 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and cherished caregiver and friend Sharie Horne.

Thank you Orcas Island—you gave this city kid a taste of the country and he loved it!! A life well lived; we should all be so lucky.

Memorials can be made to the TurnPoint Light Station, Stuart Island, WA.