Lavonne Marie and Henry Cook Morgan Jr.

Lavonne Marie MORGAN 11/17/1920 ~ 07/04/2010 Henry Cook MORGAN, Jr. 09/27/1917 ~ 02/16/2011 Lavonne was born in Spokane, the only child of Evelyn Blackburn. She attended Holy Names Academy and graduated from Broadway High School. She attended the University of Washington. She met her husband at Wilson's Modern Business School in Seattle. They were happily married for 67 years. Lavonne was noted for her strong faith, joyful heart, peaceful spirit, mild manner and gift of service. She went from "city girl to farmers' wife." She was a wonderful baker: sponge cake, breads and pies were her specialties. She mastered cooking, preserving, money management, and nurturing her family of nine children. She happily drove those children in her "Big Red Van" to myriad school and sporting events. She loved having a large family and welcomed their friends into the fold. She worked elections at Maplewood Heights Elementary in Renton. She drove a mini bus for special needs children in the Renton school district. For recreation, Lavonne bowled for years with her mother at Hillcrest and Skyway Park Bowls. She enjoyed exotic birds kept in an aviary on the back deck and was a friend to stray cats. She loved vacationing at the family cabin on Hood Canal. Henry was born to Lillie and Henry C. Morgan, Sr. in Seattle. He had an older sister, Sylvia Van Woerden, and a younger brother, William (Bill) Morgan, both now deceased. He entered the family flower business by age eight, helping raise and sell flowers at a stall on the Pike Place Market. He attained the rank of Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America and volunteered as troop #350 leader in Foster. He was a voracious reader and always said he had his advanced degree from Knocks College ("the school of hard knocks"). He loved hiking and fishing. He particularly enjoyed hunting elk in the Clearwater River area of the Olympic Peninsula. In September, 1942, Henry enlisted in the U.S. Navy Reserves. He served in Pasco as an aviation ordinance instructor before transferring aboard the U.S.S. Cape Esperance (CVE 88) for service in the South Pacific during WWII. He survived several typhoons and was instrumental in saving his ship from a kamikaze attack by rapid recognition of a new Japanese plane silhouette and giving the order to fire immediately to his gun crew. An avid story teller, he often drew upon these naval experiences. He worked as a truck driver, initially delivering oil, then milk. Later, he hauled the spent grains (malt) from the Rainier Brewery to Snohomish and Green River Valley farms for cattle feed. He was nicknamed "Henry, the Malt Man" and enjoyed lifelong close relationships with his customers. Henry was an avid gardener until he was 92, growing the flowers that provided his children with money for their college educations. He was a Master Gardener and an active member of the Seattle Tree Fruit Society. He always grew a large vegetable garden. His greatest legacies are the gifts of a strong work ethic, honesty, practical education, can-do attitude, sense of humor and diligence. The Morgan's are survived by daughters Janet Honda, Joanna Lescroart, Paula Luedke, and Leslie Morgan-Green, and sons Dwight, Bruce, John, Daniel and James, seventeen grandchildren and eighteen great grandchildren. Their "adopted children" include Jack Hendrickson, Kent Hutchings and Glen Bunzelmeir. Internment will be with military honors at the Tahoma National Cemetery (18600 SE 240th, Kent) on Friday, March 11th, at 2:30p.m. A Catholic Mass will be said at St. John Vianney Catholic Church (12600 84th Ave NE, Kirkland) on Saturday, March 12th at 10:00 A.M. Receptions to follow.