John Patrick Morgan

MISSOULA ~ John P. "Jack" "JP" Morgan, 102, of Missoula, passed away Friday, February 2, 2024 at Community Medical Center in Missoula.

Born 5/23/21 to Francis B. and Anna Morgan in New Albin, Iowa, John was the second youngest of eight children.  His brothers were Lawrence, Jim, Earl, and Daniel, and his sisters were Kathleen, Peggy and Marietta.

He attended the Morgan Country School, also known as Sandbank School.  John spent his youth working on the family farm.

He came out West to work in Oregon at the age of 16.  Then he went to California to work in an aircraft manufacturing facility.   During WWII he served in the Coast Guard doing shore patrol on Long Island.  After that he served on the LST 23 in the Pacific Ocean where he was a pharmacist’s mate.

Following WWII he flew as a purser for Pan Am where he traveled the world to places such as Hong Kong and Haiti.  He worked routes from Miami to South America, across the Atlantic to French West Africa, Dakar to the Middle East, and on to what was British India.  Then he changed to flights and traveled from New York to London and Paris.

He then went to work on the first American cruise ship, the SS United States.

After that he returned to Iowa and purchased a tavern in Charles City.

He married Darlene A. Zweck on Feb. 4, 1961, who became his wife of over 50 years.  On July 27, 1964, they had a beautiful daughter, Kathleen A. Morgan.

He ran Morgan’s Tavern for 25 years, retiring at age 57 to enjoy hunting and fishing.  He also loved duck hunting with his favorite lab retrievers named Spook and Major.

He and his wife Darlene then moved out West to live near their daughter in Missoula, Montana.   He spent many years enjoying time with his granddaughter and fishing with his family.

John had three great-grandchildren, Ava, Cooper and Gage.  He spent many hours sitting by a campfire enjoying time with them.

Staying independent until age 94, he spent his last years living with his daughter until he passed at the age of 102.

John is survived by his daughter Kathleen A. Morgan and husband Laurien Riehl, granddaughter and spouse Danielle and Brian Baumgartner, great-grandchildren Ava, Cooper and Gage.  He is also survived by many nieces and nephews whom he loved and spoke very highly of throughout the years.

John and Darlene were devout Catholics and John was a life member of the Knights of Columbus.   He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend to everyone he knew.  He will be greatly missed.

Services will be February 10, 2024, with a viewing from 1:00 to 1:45 and service at 2:00 pm, held at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home, 7405 Mullan Road, Missoula, MT  59808.   Burial will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens.  There will be a reception to follow at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home.

Services are under the care of Sunset Memorial Funeral Home and Crematory in Missoula.