I only recently learned of Professor Morgan’s
passing.  I want his family to know what a great teacher, inspiration and friend he was to me. As a college student 3,000 miles from home in the early 1980s I found a refuge in Professor Morgan’s constitutional law class; it was a big reason I ended up attending law school (and no doubt partly responsible for me getting the highest grade in my con law class at the University of Washington Law School). I had a rewarding career with the Washington Attorney General’s Office, inspired in part by Professor Morgan’s encouragement of public service. His affection for his family was apparent to me during our numerous conversations.  Peace and blessings to him and his family..

To John Morgan's family & friends --

My husband Barre and I knew John as a neighbor you could always count on for a good discussion of current events and politics.  Before his health declined, he would often walk the neighborhood in the evenings and was always ready to talk. 

Barre also knew him as a formidable opponent across the Scrabble board.

Please accept our condolences on your loss.

Michelle Simmons



Constitutional Law class, 1970.  Final exam.  Dr. Morgan writes the name of a famous Supreme Court case on the blackboard.  “Write your argument for the plaintiff,” he tells us.  Then, about mid-way through the two allotted hours, Dr. Morgan tells us all to put down our pens.  Then, he tells us to argue the opposite.

I loved John Morgan.  I loved him and I admired him immensely.  He was the smartest, most intellectually-agile person I’d ever met.  He scared me; made me hesitate before all my comments; which really was a gift — forced me to think before opening my mouth.

Dinners at his house were the highlights of my four years at GWU.  The intellectual salon was exciting and, in hindsight, what made GWU the incredible institution that it was.  Arguments flowed like the scotch John and Anne always had on hand.  John made me think.

I was Student Body President during the turbulent 1960’s.  He was my supporter but also my Socrates — always arguing what my opponents would say.  Should we ban ROTC recruiters from campus?  Wasn’t that a violation of freedom of speech?  What right did we as students have to set campus policy?  More than just helping us answer those questions, he helped us think about implications, about the law, about the rights and limits of protest.  He made us think!!  I can still see him sitting in my Student Union office, me walking back and forth, him patiently making me hone my arguments and secure my precedents.  He was a brilliant teacher.

I loved calling him to discuss the latest outrage from our previous President.  Or for advice on how to vote when not voting wasn’t always a good option.  He’d talk politics and then tell me about his amazing trip to Europe.

He came to my 40th birthday party in Pittsburgh.  He came to my wedding party in Pittsburgh.  My wife and I came to his 50th wedding anniversary.  I was a frequent guest at his house.  We were friends, and I will miss him.

Granddady was unable to attend my wedding, but when he met my wife Hyewon for the first time, he immediately treated her as family.  They had lots to talk about as he had already had positive interactions with Koreans that ran local businesses near his home.  They conversed about each other’s culture, background, and even origins of her name.  Even though he knew she was Korean, that didn’t matter to him.  All that mattered was that Hyewon was now family, and he was happy that I found an amazing woman to keep me honest, like what he had found in Granny.  He never expected anyone to be the same as him nor think the same as him, but he expected people to try to have open hearts to everyone, like what he had for Hyewon.

I will always remember John's deep voice reminding us about the requirements posed by the Faculty Code, university policies, etc. in our meetings in the Political Science Department.  He was our in-house parliamentarian.  We knew that with John in the room, all would go forward  according to code.

My deepest sympathies to his family as you grieve  his loss.

Sincerely,
Sharon Wolchik

I joined the political science faculty at GW in 1995.  One of the enduring memories of the beginning of my time at GW is hallway and office conversations with John Morgan.  John was a true delight for this new professor to chat with!

OBITUARY

John Andrew Morgan Jr.

May 26, 1935 – February 11, 2023

National Funeral Home & Memorial Park

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