Hildegarde S. Morgan

Hildegarde Morgan, known to family and friends as "Hildy," was born in 1940, in St. Paul, Minnesota, and died at home in Cody, Wyoming, on February 19, 2026, with her loving daughter by her side. She was 85 years old.

Hildy was the daughter of Gustav A. Swanson, a distinguished ornithologist and conservationist, and Evadene Swanson, a highly respected wildlife historian in her own right. Gustav's Swedish American family settled in Minnesota in the 1880s; Evadene's multi cultural family arrived in the 1870s. Growing up in a household where the natural world was both a subject of scientific study and a source of daily wonder, Hildy became a dedicated birder early in life - a passion she carried with her everywhere she went. She graduated from Cornell University with both a bachelor's degree and a master's degree, an achievement she carried with quiet pride throughout her life.

In 1962, Hildy married George A. Morgan on June 9 in Ithaca, New York, beginning a marriage that would span more than six decades. Together they raised two children and built a life that eventually led them west, where Hildy's deep love of animals - especially dogs - became both her vocation and her community.

Hildy began her career as an elementary school teacher, shaping young minds with patience, curiosity, and a belief that every child had something important to say. In mid life she followed her passion for dogs into a series of small businesses, including a boarding kennel, pet store, training center, and grooming business. She bred and showed Collies in American Kennel Club conformation, obedience, herding, and tracking events, and over the years became a respected AKC judge, approved for nearly all breeds in the herding group as well as many others, and a certified judge for AKC Farm Dog and AKC Fetch.

Dogs were the thread that ran through most of Hildy's life, but for her they were never "just" dogs. She paid close attention to how dogs and people responded to one another and treated those relationships as a window into loyalty, resilience, and the best parts of being human. Her love of animals extended well beyond dogs. A lifelong birder following in the footsteps of her father, she never lost the habit of pausing mid conversation to point out a hawk overhead or a warbler in the brush. A naturally social and curious person, she built circles of friendship wherever she went, drawing people together around training classes, dog shows, and long, thoughtful conversations that often started with dogs and ended with life.

Hildy was an active member of the Collie Club of America and the Buckhorn Valley Kennel Club, contributing her time, energy, and hard earned expertise over many years. She was also a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, weaving together family holidays, dog events, and cross country road trips into a rich, if sometimes gloriously chaotic, family life.

In 2023, Hildy was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. After surgery that year, she chose not to undergo chemotherapy, preferring to focus on the quality of her remaining time rather than its length. She moved to Cody, Wyoming, in late 2024 to be near her daughter Lisa, and in the years that followed she remained remarkably active, traveling with family across the United States and abroad, attending dog events when she could, and staying closely connected to friends and relatives. When the cancer returned and spread to her lungs in 2025, she elected hospice care so she could die with dignity, on her own terms, in the presence of family.

Hildy is survived by her husband, George Morgan; her children, Arthur (Art) and Lisa; and her granddaughters, Nia and Samantha. She was preceded in death by her parents, Gustav and Evadene Swanson; her brother, Arthur Swanson, and sister Charity Jacob (born Evadene Swanson); and her grandson, Morgan Heimer.

Per her wishes, there will be no memorial service. The family invites friends and colleagues from her many circles - dog clubs, show rings, classrooms, and neighborhoods - to remember her in their own ways: by taking a dog for a long walk, stepping outside to listen for birdsong, offering patience and kindness to a child, or pausing to notice the quiet, wordless ways that animals and people care for one another.

Memorial donations may be made to the the 307 Gratitude Fund of the Wyoming Community Foundation (wycf.org), the Collie Health Foundation, or the City of Fort Collins Natural Areas Department in support of the Gustav Swanson Natural Area (fcgov.com/naturalareas), honoring Hildy's lifelong devotion to animals, the people who love them, and the natural world her father and mother taught her to cherish.

https://www.forevermissed.com/hildymorgan/