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Obituary for William Earl Morgan
William Earl Morgan passed away on Friday, May 4, 2018 in Ridgeland. He was 82. A native of Bolivar County, born February 16, 1936, he was the son of the late Starkey Collins Morgan and the late Nannie Lou Hamer Morgan. He graduated from Greenville High School in 1954 where he lettered in four sports. It was there he met his high school sweetheart and love of his life, Eddie Joan Lenz, whom he married in 1954. He then graduated from Mississippi State University where from 1954-1958, he played football and ran track. He then received his Masters Degree from Ole Miss. In 1958, he began his coaching career in Biloxi and then moved to Greenville where he became Head Coach of the Greenville High School Hornets and then became Assistant Superintendent of the Greenville Public Schools. A devoted and talented teacher at the game of golf, Mr. Morgan began his PGA Club Professional career at Greenville Municipal Golf Course which continued to Ocean Springs, Vicksburg, Brookhaven, and Crystal Springs where he was the Head Golf Professional at each location. He was elected a member of the PGA of America in 1983. “W.E.”, as he was affectionately known, served as Gulf States PGA President from 1996-1997; received PGA Golf Professional of the Year honors in 1991 and 1997; and was inducted into the Gulf States PGA Hall of Fame, class of 2000. Gulf States PGA President Bryant Himes stated, “Golf has lost a great ambassador and friend. Mr. Morgan played a significant role in the growth and success of the game as a PGA professional and more importantly as a role model to so many in the Gulf States region.” Following his retirement from golf, he was a rules official with the Mississippi Golf Association for over ten years. He was generous with donating his time and expertise to helping others grow the game of golf but especially enjoyed teaching his grandchildren and great grandchildren. Mr. Morgan had served as a past president of the Lions Club and was a member of the First Baptist Church in Greenville. Mr. Morgan was a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, mentor and friend. He was a loyal Mississippi State Bulldog; anyone wearing MSU apparel gained a new friend and extra time from him. He was loved dearly and will be missed by his family and his friends. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his son, William Earl Morgan, Jr.; and his brothers, Joe Morgan and Starkey Morgan. Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Eddie Jo Morgan, of Brandon; daughter, Terry Stewart (Wade), of Brandon; grandchildren, Jennifer Ebke (Scott), of Hattiesburg and Morgan Stewart (Amy), of Gulf Shores, AL; great grandchildren: Mckinleigh Ebke, Aniston Reese Ebke, Mary Morgan Stewart, and Hadlee Stewart; and a host of other relatives and friends. A Celebration of his Life will held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, May 11, 2018 the Chapel of First Baptist Church Greenville, 407 Main Street. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or to the Gulf States PGA Foundation.
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