Dr. Gerard Thomas Morton, Jr.

Dr. Gerard (Gerry) T. Morton, Jr., 79, passed away on December 10, 2007. Dr. Morton was born on October 5, 1928 in Pensacola, Florida into a naval family. He was at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed on December 7, 1941. He spent his early years in the Hawaiian Islands and in Pacific Beach, California where he was a lifeguard.

He graduated from the Gulf Coast Military Academy and from UCLA with a degree in theater arts. He then joined the U.S. Air Force and became a jet fighter pilot. During his time in the Air Force he made survival training films in Nevada. He was an aerial photographer for North American Aviation before joining TRW, where he became Director of Corporate Communications. He was heavily involved in the early days of the space program and was known as "The Voice of TRW." He earned master's and doctoral degrees in business administration before forming two companies, Morton & Associates, an International Consulting Services firm, and The Libra Group Consulting Services. He was owner and manager of Gerry Morton's International Turtle Club in Manhattan Beach, where he lived for many years. In retirement he was master of the sailing vessel "Libertine". He was a member and past Chief of the Vikings, a charitable organization, and a member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots where he was honored as a "Friend of the Society." He was known by many as "Mr. Positive" and left a wake of happiness wherever he went.

Dr. Morton is survived by a son, Gerard (Mercedes) T. Morton, III of Manhattan Beach, California; a daughter, Colleen (Grant) Anderson of Atherton, California; a son, Sean Morton of Hermosa Beach, California; a brother, Captain Donald (Joan) A. Morton, USN (Ret.) of McLean, Virginia; and two grandchildren, Andrew and Thomas of Manhattan Beach, California.