John R Morgan

John R. Morgan, 89, was called to Heaven on Monday, May 5th, 2025, in Overland Park, Kansas.
John was born in Henrietta, to Irvin and Nell (Rider) Morgan on January 24th, 1936. Growing up in Henrietta, he learned to work on the family farm and excelled in academics and sports through his school years. John received an athletic scholarship to Central Missouri State Teachers College where he majored in Physical Education. John was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity where he was sergeant-at-arms and served as the CMSTC senior class president in 1958.
John met his future wife, Faye Watson, while attending college. They married on July 5th, 1958, moved to Deepwater, and started their family first with the birth of his daughter Kimberly and later his son Monte. The Morgan's moved to Overland Park, KS where John continued teaching and coaching basketball at Milburn Elementary School. He left teaching and took on a sales job with academic supplier Herff-Jones before switching to a career as a millwright. He was a member of Millwright's Local Union 1529 in Kansas City, and took on Millwright's job with Automatic Systems, Inc. and Midwest Conveyor. The job came with a lot of travel, from erecting grain bins in rural Indiana to installing auto plant conveyor systems in Shanghai, China. John continued to work on the family farm in Polo, raising cattle and crops along with his two growing children when not travelling for his millwright jobs. He loved taking his granddaughter Nell with him on the tractor or combine, whenever possible when she would stay with Grandma and Grandpa on weekends.
An avid traveler, John enjoyed packing the family up for cross-country road trips to Colorado for winter ski trips. One such trip put Monte and Kim in the backseat of a VW Beetle for the 12-hour drive across Kansas and into the Rocky Mountains. He would also take buying trips to Europe with Faye to collect goods for their Morgan's in the Country antique shop and tearoom in Polo. John was a loving and caring father and held firm religious beliefs. He was the prayer leader of the family and loved reciting the story of the nativity every Christmas. He was a member of the Prairie Village Baptist Church in Prairie Village, KS, and the Prairie Ridge Church in Polo.
John was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Don and his beloved wife Faye. He is survived by his son Monte Morgan (Chris); daughter Kimberly Renee Gross (David); granddaughter Nell Marie Gross; step granddaughters Shannon Lesco, Kelly Hill, Jacey Dorian, eight step-great grandchildren.
John Morgan gave us all a lifetime of friendship, love and laughter. We will forever cherish his memory.
The family suggests memorial contributions be made to The Alzheimer's Association. Memorial contributions can be dropped off or mailed to Thurman Funeral Home, 507 E Main Street, Richmond - P.O. Box 190, Richmond, Missouri 64085.
Visitation with funeral services will be held on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at Thurman Funeral Home in Richmond, with visitation beginning at 1:00 P.M. with services following at 2:00 P.M. Burial will be in Richmond Memory Gardens. Please remember to share your memories of John by visiting www.thurmanfuneralhome.com.
An additional celebration of John's life will held on, May 17, 2025, at 1:00 P.M. at The Tuileries Clubhouse 10801 Glenwood Street, Overland Park, KS 66211.