Beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Donald Joe Morgan, 91, of Newport News, Virginia, went to his heavenly home on October 24, 2021. He was born October 18, 1930 in Winthrop, Arkansas to Newman Henry Morgan and Mary McFarland Morgan. Besides his parents, he was preceded to the Lord by his only son, Ronald Henry Morgan and his two younger sisters, Patricia Head and Sharon Burge.

He is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Masako Morgan, and his devoted daughters, Rebecca Kitenko and Donna Morgan; son-in-law, Franz Kitenko; Grandchildren, Benjamin Kitenko (wife, Christie and children, Sadie and Max), Joshua Kitenko (wife, Noelle and children, John Paul, Gianna, and Vincent), Taylor Morgan (husband, Nick), and Brandon Morgan (wife, Jerrlynn).

Don has worked hard most of his life and loved his work. At age 11, he began working with his dad, driving a logging truck which proved the Lord was obviously destining him for a career in transportation.

At 16, his mother signed for him to enter the Army.  He was sworn in on July 14, 1947, in New Orleans, Louisiana. He found his way to the transportation corp. where his lifelong love of the sea began. He served 23 years in the Army, working on various boats, with overseas assignments in the Philippines, Guadalcanal, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. His honors included the Expert Marksman Badge (Rifle), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Vietnam), and the National Defense Service Medal.

He then retired from the Army and began a new career as an ocean-going tugboat captain. He was licensed to navigate every body of water in the world and spent months at sea, delivering barges through the worst storms. Many times, he was the only person onboard who wasn’t seasick. After 20 years, he retired again.

It wasn’t long before water life called again. He finished his career on the water as a captain for the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry Service. He received the VDOT Commissioners Award for Excellence for his service.

He is a baptized member of Menchville Baptist Church, Newport News, Virginia. Don’s love for God, family and country was obvious to all who knew him. Don was kind, generous, tender hearted, brave, and a great story-teller. He loved fishing and eating at the restaurants Cracker Barrel and Wonderful and enjoying Saturday morning breakfast with the church men’s group. But without a doubt the greatest joy in his life was the time that he was able to spend with his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

A memorial service to celebrate Don’s life with military honors, will be November 6, 2021, 11:00 am, at Menchville Baptist Church, 248 Menchville Rd., Newport News, VA.

A private inurnment will be at Hampton Memorial Gardens. The family requests remembrances be made in the form of donations to Menchville Baptist Church.

Arrangements in care of Cremation Society of Virginia – Newport News Office.