Doris E. (Young) Morgan-Hays…She loved and served!
Doris E. (Young) Morgan, 92, passed away December 15, 2022 at her home in Blythe, California.
Doris was born in Blythe, California on December 6, 1930 to Herbert C. and Irene (Copeland) Young.
Serving and working mixed with joys and losses throughout Doris's life. A fire destroyed her father's business in Blythe. Her father and mother, and Doris moved into the country by Jap Lake. Sister Marilyn was born in 1938 and brother Johnny in 1941. Doris was Big Sister.
Throughout her childhood Doris had severe attacks of asthma. Mother became sick with cancer and Doris assumed more home responsibilities. When her mother died, Aunt Bernice Young came to live and help the family. Doris was sixteen. It was 1946. Within a year her father passed away. She began working in high school at the Richard S. Williams Car Dealership to help give financial support to the family.
Despite home and job responsibilities, Doris was valedictorian of her high school class. She was enthusiastically involved in First Baptist Church. She had become a Christian at age sixteen.
After high school a car accident caused the death of Johnny and serious injuries to Marilyn.
Doris became a capable, reliable, and brilliant servant-leader in Blythe. She was the only female Blythe town mayor, and served on the Blythe City Council for twelve years. She worked energetically for many years on the county board of the Office of Aging, endeavoring to bring services for senior citizens to Blythe. She accepted responsibilities as a teacher of Sunday Shool classes for children and adults, and was treasurer for First Baptist Church. She served on the local hospital board striving for Blythe to have a well-qualified hospital. Challenges were many!
County Supervisor Roy Wilson asked Doris, ""Will you attempt to identify and correct the financial problems at the Blythe Cemetery?"" She began to serve as not only a cemetery board member but also a financial investigator and skilled bookkeeper.
For months as a volunteer her daytime hours Monday through Friday were spent working at the cemetery office. Volunteers were enlisted to help with outdoor work. Today Blythe again has a functioning cemetery.
Doris wanted local businesses to succeed. She helped some with their financial management, working again as a volunteer. For decades she was employed as the indispensable financial director of the successful Charley Graham Car Dealership. For Charley Graham she had great respect.
For about eleven years she scheduled time to tutor seventh grade students at Blythe Middle School. She was their cheerleader, helping them to meet academic goals. Occasionally she helped high school seniors.
For countless hours she was a volunteer at the Blythe Center preparing income tax returns at no cost to seniors in the community.
Doris was Blythe's champion. She never wanted to live somewhere else, though she enjoyed travel. Blythe was the town she helped and celebrated. In her honor the Blythe Community Center now has been renamed Doris Morgan Community Center.
Indeed, Doris's family extended far beyond blood ties. It could include Blythe, and many friends. There never was any question that the love of her life was Al Morgan.
Doris is survived by her sister Marilyn Poe, Barry and Donna Neel and family, Richard and Rosemary Neel and family, Larry Kelley, Mike Kelley, Patty Luna, Al Morgan's family, Lee Richards' family, and Chuck Hays's family.
A memorial service will be held Tuesday, January 3, 2023 at 10:00 A.M. at First Baptist Church on 100 W. Murphy (corner of Murphy and Broadway), Blythe, California 92225. A reception will follow.
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