On Monday, September 26, 2022, Eldon H Morgan lost his battle with cancer. He was a loving husband and father of five children. He passed away at home in Beaumont, Riverside, California. He was 87 years old.
Eldon was born July 21, 1935, to Hugh and Edna Morgan in Liberty, Bear Lake, Idaho. He spent much time helping his father on the farm. The United States Census taken April 1950 shows him as a “farm worker” having worked 21 hours the week prior. This is in addition to being a 14-year-old high school student.
Eldon served for two years as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Northern States Mission (1955-1957). He was acting as the financial coordinator in the mission office and was present when the mission president tragically died of a heart attack. Eldon and his companion were in charge of running the mission for three months until the new mission president arrived. This experience prepared him well for his future.
Eldon served his country in the Army of the United States and continued his service in the Army Reserve. He was honorably discharged on December 31, 1963.
Eldon met the love of his life while attending the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. He and Flora were married August 13, 1959, in the Salt Lake Temple. A chance at nearly doubling his salary from $1.25/hour to $400/month took them to Torrance, California, which they called home for 42 years.
Eldon’s career was spent in managerial positions. He managed three college bookstores: near El Camino College in Torrance, California (1960-1970); near California State University, Fullerton (1970-1973); and the on-campus bookstore at California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, California (1973-1980). He left the book business to manage Survival Incorporated (1980-1988). Finally, he retired from his position as Director of the Institute of Religion at Cerritos College (1988-2000).
Eldon was a natural-born leader and held many positions of leadership in the LDS Church. His favorite calling was stake president (nearly 10 years), followed closely by stake patriarch (29 years). He also enjoyed serving as president of the Redlands California Temple for three years with Flora by his side as matron. He continued serving in the temple as a sealer until just a few months before his passing.
Eldon loved working in his home woodshop. He made small table-and-chair sets for his grandchildren, who cherish them. Another favorite was making cutouts of a person’s name in fancy script. He made these for many family members and friends. Also in his woodshop was a refrigerator which he kept stocked with various sodas. His grandchildren enjoyed picking a drink for him and themselves.
Eldon spent much time in his yard mowing and trimming, concerned that his home presented itself well. The farmer in him manifested itself in always having a vegetable garden.
During his 22 years of retirement, Eldon unselfishly donated over 35 gallons of blood to the Blood Bank of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties.
Eldon left his posterity over 50 years of near-continuous daily journal entries.
Eldon is survived by his spouse of 63 years, Flora Crawford Hale, and their five children: Russell Hugh Morgan (Vickie Lynn Jacobs) of Lake Forest, California; Rachel Hale Morgan Brokaw of Saratoga Springs, Utah; Cheri Ann Morgan Taylor (James Ray Taylor) of Trabuco Canyon, California; Alan Shields Morgan (Kai Ann Sutton) of Gilbert, Arizona; and Robert Eldon Morgan (Aryan Kathleen Russo) of Heber City, Utah. At the time of his death, Eldon had eight grandsons and eight granddaughters, as well as six great-grandsons and four great-granddaughters, and two living siblings: his older brother, Daryle Morgan, and his younger sister, Lorna Orr.
Eldon was predeceased by: his father, Hugh Morgan; his mother, Edna Pugmire Keetch Morgan; and his oldest siblings Etta Keetch Morgan Whittaker; Artell K Morgan; and Orval David Morgan.
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