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Charles Linnell Morgan
Charles Linnell Morgan
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Charles Morgan Obituary
Charlie was born in Marquette MI in 1946 to Howard and Eldora (Linnell) Morgan. The family soon moved to Longview, WA then to Tacoma, WA where he spent his childhood attending Annie Wright Pre School, Lowell Elementary, Hilltop Heritage Middle School and graduating high school from the Charles Wright Academy. Charlie left Tacoma to explore college and later serve in the Air Force (1967-1970) but soon returned to Washington in 1971.
Charlie was introduced to the Key Peninsula at 6 years old when his family bought a beach house on Filucy Bay. Since then, the KP has been his true home and his honing rod from building a log house for his young family near Delano Bay to tending his retirement garden on Erickson Road. He carried deep love and respect for the Key Peninsula's land and the people who steward it now and from time immemorial.
Charlie had the rare ability to turn his passions into jobs, leading to a rich and varied career including sheep rancher; greenhouse operator and owner (President of the Washington Floricultural Assoc 1983); reggae music impresario (founder of Outernational Records, author of the definitive Studio One discography, and manager of the Defenders); wood worker (builder of the world's most comfortable Adirondack chairs); and general gadabout/social butterfly.
Charlie's passion and curiosity to understand the human condition led to avid research and enjoyment of literature and music and the amassing of formable collections of rare records and books. Through his true calling as an armchair scholar and philosopher Charlie passed the love of literature and music on too many.
Whether it be surfing, gardening, fishing and boating, forest exploration, or rock collecting, Charlie always stayed connected to the nature that he so admired and revelled in.
Charlie was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Susan Handley and a long line of dogs including Caper, Sadie, Jake, Jasper, Django and Juka.
Survivors include his wife of 54 years Melissa Morgan; his daughters Sarah Morgan (Derek Van Nest) and Sonja Morgan (Frank Lopez); his beloved grandchildren Vivian Morgan Van Nest, Theo Morgan Van Nest and Rashida Francis; his sister Liz Heath; nieces Elizabeth Grosse, Emily Russel, Anna Richmond, Amanda Smyth and Erin McLaughlin; nephews Chris Handley and Wim Vanderspek and a multitude of friends, who will remember his acerbic wit and kind heart.
A memorial service will take place at the Longbranch Improvement Club on Sunday, October 13, 2024 at 2pm. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Greater Peninsula Conservancy.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Don Martin
August 8, 2025
I remember many wonderful days with Charlie beginning in 1970. He and Mellisa hosted my new bride Edna and me for our honeymoon at the Morgan farm in Onalaska Washington 49 years ago. Of course lots of our friends tagged along too and we drift fished the river and had a wonderful time with everyone. Of course Charlie and Mellisa made an amazing amount of food daily, much of it fresh from the farm. We ate salmon in the giant greenhouses full of fushia hanging baskets, an experience most people will never know. More later. We miss you brother Charlie. Love you. Don Martin
Ray Hurford
August 4, 2025
Happy Birthday Charlie. I recall one birthday not so long,
when one of my books turned up on your birthday. And you
was so pleased!! You are much missed my friend.
Laurent Pfeiffer
June 24, 2025
I'm sad to learn, monthes later, that Charlie left us. I knew him through reggae music and we kept in touch for years ; it was so nice. One love Charlie.
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Rosalind
February 14, 2025
My first memory of Charlie was seeing him, with daughter, Sonja, show up at The Conversation, a social justice group formed in Tacoma, Wa, of which she, Sonja was a member. Charlie was a life-long learner and decided to immerse himself in knowing all he did not know about race and inequality in the USA. Through his actions he taught that it was never too late to learn. Charlie on a few occasions (not nearly enough!) brought his gargantuan grill across the Narrows bridge to support our group with the best bar-b-que this side of the Mississippi! His joy was evident in the many compliments he received and looks of distress from those who found there was no more BBQ to be had.
Robert DeLong
September 18, 2024
The vintage photos of CWA´s first year. I believe Charlie is driving the car.
C. Rosalind Bell
September 17, 2024
I loved how OUT LOUD he loved his girls. I loved how his talent was wide and deep. I loved his sheepish/knowing grin. I loved how he had his way with a BBQ Pit...how he mastered the technique and delivered bone-sucking items that made us swoon. I loved how he walked into water not knowing its depth only to emerge with a quiet yearning to know more and keep digging. I loved his genius and making beauty sing with his wood-making artistry. Oh my could that man turn. I most fondly remember him accompanying Sonja to the South Sound social justice group, The Conversation, to more deeply immerse himself in the matter. A lifelong learner for sure. An easy smile. A deep love of family and friends. And catching him looking at Melissa when he thought no one was looking...a twinkle in his eye. Good night, dear Charlie, I love and miss you.
Robert DeLong
September 12, 2024
John Pascoe
September 6, 2024
I grew up in old town North Tacoma and Chasmos lived across 7th Street from my home. As a kid I would often be awakened by the sound of a baseball bouncing off my upstairs bedroom window. I would look out my window to see Charles looking up at me with his smile holding his baseball mit and motioning me to get up and come down to play. He would inevitably wind up in our breakfast room eating breakfast with me and my brothers that my Mom had prepared. Charles and I were born on the same day which gave us a special bond. He was like another brother to me always up for playing together and embarking on yet another adventure.
Craig Macdonald
September 3, 2024
We followed each other through life, starting at Kindergarten, continuing through a complete course of academics and craziness at a school in a peach orchard (Charles Wright Academy started there ), and then, serendipity be praised, into the United States Air Force where he was stationed near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and I was parachuted into Patrick Air Force Base, Cape Canaveral, Florida-- a few hundred miles to the south. His green Austin Healey was the envy of my life-- although he trusted me behind the wheel often, and his lovely but perhaps slightly unrealistic goal, later in life, to go back and consume the Great Books of Western Civ, became my goal as well-- and we discussed this wild overreach at our 50th high school reunion. At a certain point in life, he reminded me of no one more than the renegade Gonzo Journalist, Hunter Thompson, in his willingness to go always one step farther and further than society mandated- cackling manically all the way. I loved the guy, although I'm not sure he knew this, and will continue to forever.
Jota Borgmann
September 1, 2024
Charlie registered as unforgettable after he and Melissa came to my apartment for a Thanksgiving meal with Sarah and other friends. He immediately connected with Ben, my friend Maureen's toddler, and was soon lifting him up in the air and making him laugh. The energy, the joy, the openness to be in that space on that day . . . a very sweet memory. I cherish the times I got to visit Melissa and Charlie out on the lovely KP.
Melissa and Sonja: my heart goes out to you. Wishing you both healing and peace.
Sarah: I am here for you anytime my dear Friend.
Poki (Hugo) Piottin
September 1, 2024
I was a concert promoter of punk music and met Charlie through mutual friends. I helped at his reggae concerts, doing security or door. I became good friends with him, Melissa, Sarah and Sonja, celebrating several Christmas with them in Longbranch. I moved away and lost touch. Seeing his smile on the photos made my heart jump. He had so much light in him when he was creative and happy! I have fond memories of my time with Charlie. Big hugs to the family.
Allen Kaatz
August 30, 2024
I believe I first met Charlie at Bob's reggae record shop. We became friends and went into business together to import records from Jamaica. I hadn't been in touch with him for some years and was saddened to hear about his death. To his two daughters, I wish you the best.
Aaron Yarbrough
August 30, 2024
Wow. All I can say is Charlie made dreams come true. He was an incredibly nice and interesting guy and I cannot even begin to recall how many great conversations we had. Charlie introduced me to the deep world of classic jamaican music and opened doors for me like none other. His advice was always spot on and he had a way of making connections that was incredible. I am forever grateful to the man. Every time I see those numbers gracing the top of 7" record sleeves I smile. He was a GIANT in that world and there are so many like myself who can only say THANK YOU CHARLIE for bringing us into the magical world of Jamaican music in it's many classic forms. The Studio One documentation he accomplished was ground breaking and remains as useful and relevant as ever. That book just floored me back in the day when he sent it to me. Back then it was hard to find rare old jamaican records for many many people before the internet era and to get on Charlie's record "list" was very exciting to say the least. I am forever grateful to have been fortunate enough to get to meet and interact with Charlie. We lost touch over the years but he remains in our family's heart and will live on in our memory just about every time we play records that he connected us with which is just about every day in our home. Just an outright awesome and helpful guy. I saw Ray's comment above that mentions just how you could ask him anything and he would tell you. That is the absolute truth and I am forever grateful. Thank you Charlie Morgan for so much more than I can ever write here. What a great guy. My heartfelt condolences to all of Charlie's family and friends. Rest In Peace Charlie, ya gone Outernational.
Ray Hurford
August 30, 2024
Here's the thing! Charlie was something else. He made things happen, and always wanted to do good. To make things better, not for just himself, but for others. If he had any information on any subject he would share it, all you had to do was ask!! RIP in peace my good friend. You did good.
Robert DeLong
August 30, 2024
Oh, my heart aches. Charlie and I were best of friends in high school. we did everything together. I could write a journal of all the amazing things we did together for years. Sadly we lost touch when we went to university. I am truly sad. The hardest part of growing olde is losing your friends no this is as painful as a family member which we basically was to me. All my love and support to all your family. I never knew your kids but your sisters and mom and dad I knew. sometimes I hate getting old, especially when my friends and especially by best childhood friend has died. This will take some time to get over.
Robert DeLong
August 30, 2024
Oh my heart is breaking. Charlie and I were. the best of friends in High school at Charles Wright. Academy. I. find it the hardest thing. that comes with the luck of living a long life is. the loss of all my friends. Charlie was my Best friend. We did every thing together from trips on the El adorable to the runs out. to the cabin wi th Weyerhaeuser execs. or in his pickup full of all of us in back at night. The times we took Dora´s corvette or his Austin Healy or my Model A or 36 Ford rod. Playing pool in his basement at American Lake and so many other amazing things we did regularly. I could d go on and tell stories of our. adventures, water skiing to absolutely silly stuff, swore I am not at liberty to comment on bu t what a wonderful time in my life. Now at nearly 80. those memories are alive in me li
like they happened yesterday. I remember taking Dora´s 1962 corvette out near Charles Wright. on an isolated road and hitting 120 miles an hour! what a trip. Some of my very best memories are the times we spent together. Loved listening to music together as we both loved the contemporary stuff. He was his own man. He knew what he wanted and succeeded.
Charlie will you will always be in my thought s. We went through so much and shared so much, I doubt I ever had a better friend. I remember your two older sisters and your mom and dad. I have lost a great fiRend. All my wishes to his family aNd children. I could go on but tears are welling up. Goodbye my good friend. What a time we had.. Sometimes I think growing older. that the people you loved is too painful.
Stacey Conley
August 29, 2024
Summer solstice, jerk chicken and lots of laughs. Charlie was well versed in many things
Amanda Smyth
August 29, 2024
RIP Uncle Charlie
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