Donald Ace Morgan

Donald Ace Morgan of Kearney, Nebraska was born December 19, 1941, in the family home outside Sewal, Iowa, shortly after the beginning of WWII. He was the second son of Dorothy Beary Morgan and Harvey Leazer Morgan. In 1959, Donald graduated from Seymour High School in a class of 55 students. Prior to reorganization, he had attended the Sewal school through the 10th grade, with only one other student in his grade. During his first year in school, he rode to school in a horse-drawn "school bus." One of his memories of that time was being so cold that the other boy gave him a stick of gum because his teeth were chattering. After graduation, Donald attended Iowa State University in his first year, then transferred to Northeast Missouri State University to complete his degree in accountancy in 1965.
During undergraduate school, Donald married Jan Elizabeth Stiles from Seymour. They had their first son, Lance Cole. Upon receiving his bachelor's degree, Donald enrolled in a master's program at the University of Missouri and graduated with a master's degree in accounting in 1966. After graduation, the family traveled to Colorado for Donald to begin work with the international accounting firm Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. becoming a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Fraud Examiner while working for the firm. Their second son, Jon D. was born and died at birth on August 1, 1967.
In the fall of 1968, Donald entered the PhD program at the University of Iowa. The family moved into married student housing in Coralville and added their third son Monty Ace. In 1972, Donald accepted an assistant professor position in accounting at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois. Their last son, Cheyne Beary, was born in 1976. Donald finished his PhD in 1978 and was promoted to associate professor. He then took a leave of absence and taught one year at the University of Iowa. Upon his return to WIU, he was promoted to professor.
In 1981, the family moved to Fort Collins, Colorado, where Donald taught as an associate professor of accounting. In 1988, Donald moved to Kearney, Nebraska, where he was a professor of accounting. From 2000 to 2005 Donald was the MBA Director in the College of Business at UNK. As part of his recruiting process, he traveled to the Philippines and taught one semester. Following a phased retirement, Donald retired on August 31, 2010.
Donald lived on a beautiful acreage on the North Platte River in Kearney, Nebraska. He was an avid bowhunter, pilot, and collector. His notable collections included antique cars, license plates, books, and antique padlocks. Donald was a long-time senior member of the Pope and Young Club, the premier bow hunting record keeping organization for North American big game animals with membership from around the world. He was the treasurer, vice president, and eventually president while also serving as the editor for the Pope and Young Club magazine.
Donald is survived by his wife, Jan, Ault, CO; his sons Lance (Oksana), Johnstown, CO, Monty, Ault, CO, and Cheyne (Brianna Riggio), Fort Collins, CO; his grandchildren Parker Morgan (Rebekah Brannan), Oleksandr "Sasha" Shatravka, Staley (Mythia) Siebold, Holden Morgan, Sawyer Morgan, and Gillian Morgan; siblings Ronald Morgan, Mary Morgan, and Carole Adams; and dear friends Jennifer Slack and Gary Biles.
Donald was predeceased by his parents, Harvey and Dorothy Morgan; his son Jon; and dear friend Doug O'Herron.
Memorial will be held Friday, September 19, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Corydon United Methodist Church with interment at Southlawn Cemetery, Seymour IA. Condolences may be shared on our website at www.thomasfh.com or facebook.com/thomasfuneralhome.Condolences may be shared on our website at www.thomasfh.com or facebook.com/thomasfuneralhome.