Donald Charles Morgan

Donald Charles Morgan, 87, of Fort Sumner, NM, passed from this life on Sunday, May 26, 2009, in Albuquerque, NM. Donald was born on June 21, 1921, in Perryton, TX, to the home of Charles Augustus Morgan and Ollie Mae Anderson Morgan. He was the eighth of ten children and the oldest of the "Little Boys" who were born after the family moved from Denver, CO to Perryton, TX.
The Morgan Family moved to Enide, NM, when Donald was five years old, traveling by covered wagon. He graduated from San Jon High School in 1939, and joined the US Army in August, 1941.
Donald served in the US Army Air Corp and with the 90th Infantry Division in the European Theater of World War II. He took part in the Battle of the Bulge and the invasion of Czechoslovakia.
After the war, Donald attended New Mexico School of Mines, now New Mexico Tech, in Socorro, NM where he received a degree in petroleum engineering. He was employed by the Kelly Petroleum Company in Hobbs before going to Colorado to ranch and farm with his father and brother, Frank.
In 1967, Donald moved to Fort Sumner to ranch and farm on the old Guy Shipley place in partners with his brothers Tom and Frank and their brother-in-law Rob Moore, creating the 4-M Ranch.
On June 20, 1970, Donald married Evelyn R. Turpen Haralson at Fort Sumner.
Donald is preceded in death by his wife Evelyn, in 2007; his son-in-law APD Officer Gerald E. Cline, in 1983; four sisters, Ollie Roach, Belle Heckendorn, Ann Moore and Grace Morgan; and three brothers Tom Morgan, Murrel Morgan and Dan Morgan.
Donald is survived by his sister, Elnola Hance of Pueblo, Colorado and his brother Frank Morgan of San Jon, New Mexico; daughter, Yolanda H. Cline, son and daughter-in-law Cub and Tina Haralson; Grandchildren, Melinda Hazel, Cindy Taibbi, G.T. Cline, Thomas C. Haralson III and Shane Morgan Haralson, all of Albuquerque; Great-grandchildren, Gerald and Allen Morgan Hazel, Nicole and Amber Taibbi, Alyssa Cline and Jayden Terrell; adopted Granddaughters, Lisa Walraven and Mikilyn McRee; and 27 nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM, (M.S.T.) Tuesday, May 26, 2009, at the Fort Sumner Church of Christ. Burial will follow at Fort Sumner Cemetery, Fort Sumner, NM.
Pallbearers are his grandsons G.T. Cline, Thomas C. Haralson III and Shane Morgan Haralson; nephews, Danny Morgan, Ronny Morgan, Mike Morgan, Chop Morgan, Tio Morgan, Frank Holder, Toby Turpen, Ben Haralson, Kelley Haralson, and John Heckendorn.
Honorary Pallbearers are Frank McRee, Ethel Kyle, Cotton and Linda Boyd, Joe and Miriam Thompkins, Jerome and Grace Thompkins, Charlie and Vicki West, D'Nea and D'Shawn West.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that contributions be made to the Fort Sumner Cemetery Association, P.O. Box 180, Fort Sumner, NM, 88119.
Arrangements are under the direction of Chavez Funeral Home, 804 N. Fifth Street in Fort Sumner. To sign the guest book or place an online tribute, please visit www.chavezfuneralhome.com.