James L. Morgan

James Leslie Morgan died peacefully on Friday, Oct. 23 in his home in Tallahassee surrounded by his wife, Elizabeth, his four children, David, Leslie, Becky and Lee, his brother, Tom, and his sister-in-law, Mae.

James was born on Dec. 9, 1926 in Augusta Ga, to Earl and Ollieve Morgan. He grew up in Jacksonville, Fl. and graduated from Andrew Jackson High School. He graduated from the University of Florida. Jim was a U.S. Army veteran who served in Berlin during the post-WWII occupation and during the airlift, and then was called into the service again during the Korean conflict, where he was awarded a bronze star for valor for his actions in the battle of White Horse Mountain. Following his active service, he continued in the Army reserves and retired after 35 years as a Lt. Colonel.

After leaving active service, he went to work in the University of Florida’s admissions office before moving to Tallahassee in 1970 for a position as MIS Director for the Board of Regents, heading up the state university system’s computer centers. After his retirement from the Board of Regents, Jim and Elizabeth moved to Malibu, CA, where he was a Vice President at Pepperdine University. He also served the Call Street and Meridian Woods Churches of Christ as an elder. After his final retirement from Pepperdine, Jim returned to Tallahassee and focused on his growing extended family, and rekindled his love of travel.

To generations of neighborhood children in Florida and California, he was the consulate toymaker, putting his love of woodworking to use making all manner of swords, shields, trains and dollhouses.

He is survived by his wife, children, eight grandchildren, Morgan, Dillon, Samantha, Emily, Mason, Milana, Jesse and Will, and brothers Frank and Tom.