Playing the organ at Old Durham Church was Benn's pride and joy

Benn Morgan is Heaven’s organist now

Benn Morgan, Class of 1948, a retired music teacher and organist/choir director of the Old Durham Church in Maryland, passed away February 16 in Callaway, Maryland.

Jim McDaniel, Class of 1960, who lives with wife Mary Faust McDaniel, in Rehobothbeach, Delaware, gave me the sad news.

Writes Jim: 

“I wondered why I did not hear from him over the holidays.  Another Worthington Boy gone to a better place.”  

The Old Durham Church, chartered in 1661, is near LaPlata, Maryland.

When I ran a photo of the Monongah High band on the bridge in this blog, Benn wrote:

“Enjoyed the picture of the MHS band on the bridge.  The bridge looks quite different from when I marched across it in the band in 1948.”

The obituary says Benny Carroll Morgan, but he disliked being called Benny. He asked me to use Benn, a request I honored in every Monongah High Alumni blog article about him.

RIP, Benn. St. Peter got a really good organist for the Heavenly Choir.

Benn’s obituary: 

Benny Carroll Morgan, 85, of Huntersville, MD, passed away on February 16, 2016 in Callaway, MD.

Childhood photo

Born on March 11, 1930 in Fairmont, WV, he was the son of the late Gertrude Penland Morgan and Arch Glenn Morgan.

Benny was preceded in death by his brothers, Archie Leo Morgan of West Virginia,\ and Harold K. Morgan of Michigan.

He graduated from Fairmont high school in 1948. Benny graduated Fairmont College in 1952 with a Bachelors in Music and West Virginia University in 1953 with a Masters in Music.

He served in the United States Army from August 1952 to April 1960. While serving in the United States Army, his duty stations included Okinawa, Japan.

Benny moved from Worthington, WV to St. Mary’s County, MD in 1958.

He was a music teacher in St. Mary’s County Public Schools having worked at Esperanza Middle School, Margaret Brent High School and Chopticon High School, retiring after 30 years of teaching in July 1986. He also worked as an organist and choir director at several local churches.
The family will receive friends on Saturday, Feb. 20, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. in All Faith Episcopal Church, Charlotte Hall, MD. A Funeral Service will follow at 11 a.m. with Father David MacDonald officiating. Interment will be held at a later date in Shinnston Memorial Cemetery, Shinnston, WV.