Charles W. "Bill" Morgan

Charles W. “Bill” Morgan of San Antonio, passed away on Friday, March 27, 2020. Bill was born in Temple, Texas on August 21, 1921. Son to the late John T. and Annie Berry Morgan. Brother to the late Peyton, Sam, Louise Brown, and Georgia Lary. On February 15, 1941 he married Bettye Burdette. Bill, a natural born visionary, began their courtship by pulling Bettye in his wagon when he was but three years old, she was only two. Bill and Bettye became loving parents to daughter Marian (Dietzmann) and son Tom.

Bill and Bettye attended Gatesville High School, he Football Captain, she Head Cheerleader. A fine athlete, in 2013, 75 years after graduating, Bill was named to the Top 46 players of the Gatesville All-Century Team. He was the oldest player selected, a title he will forever hold.

Inspired by Charles Lindberg’s 1927 transatlantic flight, he developed a passion for flight. The humming of propeller blades throwing off air kept his boyhood eyes gazing skyward, searching more blue heavens and cotton clouds than earth. Bill learned to fly and built his own airplane before graduating from high school. WWII called him to serve in the United States Navy. Upon discharge in 1946, he returned to the family soda bottling business. Soon after, he relocated to San Antonio where he served as plant manager for Bireley’s and later Canada Dry. All the while he followed his passion for flying and was pilot for Western Aero and Omni Air for many years. In 1972, he opened Morgan Cabinet Shop which he owned and operated for over 25 years. Upon retirement he practiced the art of creating miniature museum quality buggies and wagons, airplanes and ships, not from kits but from original plans. He was still creating an intricate array into his early 90’s. Bill’s greatest life gift was being Bettye’s caregiver during her courageous battle with ALS. He was determined to keep that girl he pulled in his wagon safely beside him for all of their life together