Obituary of Jane Morgan

Jane Marsell Morgan, 88, died Saturday, July 3, 2010 of complications from cancer. She passed quietly in her home in Jacksonville, surrounded by family and friends. Jane was in the care of N.E. Florida Community Hospice since her diagnosis in February of this year.

Jane was born in Pittsburgh, PA May 4, 1922, to Philip A. and Marthena Marsell, the second of four daughters. She was raised in Emsworth, a Pittsburgh borough, and on July 24, 1944 married John A. Morgan of the neighboring borough, Avalon. At the time of their marriage, John was serving in the Seventh Army Air Force, flying out of England. Upon John's return to civilian life, Jane and he began a family in Pittsburgh, giving birth to the first three of their four children (Terry, Steve, and Linda).

In 1953, John and Jane moved to Jacksonville, Florida, where John assumed an engineering job with the Southern Bell Telephone Company. In 1956, they gave birth to their fourth child, Tim. Family closeness was always a great value of the Marsells, so much so that all four Marsell daughters - Jane, and her sisters Ruth, Martha, and Marilyn - ended up moving to Florida, where family interaction of uncles and aunts and cousins in Jacksonville, Mount Dora, and Lantana was a significant part of Morgan family life.

Jane was one of the founding members of Christ the King Catholic Church where she served since 1954. She was a circle member in the church's Women's Guild, and volunteered in many capacities, including the altar society and the Christ the King School PTA, in her fifty-five years of active parish membership. She was employed in the claims department for State Farm Insurance from 1964 until 1980. She was active in bowling leagues from the 1950s until 2009. With her husband, she was an avid golfer, and almost to her dying day was an enthusiastic walker.

She was beloved by all for her patience, kindness, humor, generosity and love. These virtues were most evident in her quiet, faithful presence in parish life; in her being the driving force of uniting and reuniting her family with notes and celebrations and constant telephone calls; and, perhaps most especially, in her courageous, faith-filled attitude and demeanor as she lived with the challenges of cancer during her last months.

She is preceded in death by her loving husband of 56 years, John A. Morgan who died May 22, 2000 at age 78 from complications of Parkinson's disease.

She is remembered lovingly by her three sons and a daughter: Father D. Terrence (Terry) Morgan of St. Augustine, Steve Morgan (and wife, Trishana) of Hawaii, Linda Ann Morgan Becksmith (and husband, Paul) of Mandarin (Jacksonville), and Timothy A. Morgan (and wife, Jeanne) of Columbia, S.C.

She is also much loved and missed by her two grandchildren: Josh Becksmith (and wife, Jocelynn) and Morgan Becksmith. She has one great-grandchild, Skyler Smith.

She is also survived by her dear friend and sister, Marilyn Forman (and husband Charles) of N.C.

As well, she is lovingly missed by many, many friends and neighbors.

Jane's children would like to express our sincere appreciation to one and all who have been so supportive of our dear Mom in these months of her illness. The list is long, and we hope to write many, many thank you notes, but we would be remiss in not singling out for this obituary:

the uncountable number of Christ the King parishioners and friends who have made our little family an immense family of care and love for our Mom when she most needed it, truly a "great cloud of witnesses" to the love of Jesus Christ;

long-time friend

Jane's neighbors in Glynlea Park who were in and out of Jane's house as if it were their own - and it was - bringing not only their care and love, but the just-right assistance needed at any given moment, even before we could give voice to the need;

Jane's many doctors, but most especially her beloved Dr. Chonglun Xie, her General Physician; and her cardiologist and dear friend of thirty years, Dr. Scott Baker, and his many associates at the Baker-Gilmour Cardiovascular Institute, who were her "medical family" for the last three decades and who were a source of joy and comfort on Jane's every visit (especially visits during these last months);

Deb Frena, Jane's hospice nurse/buddy/soul-mate for the Journey, and all the extraordinary, generous folk of Northeast Florida Community Hospice, whose non-stop care made it possible for Jane and the family to continue to function as a normal family all the way to her last hours;

and our "other sister," Pat McCarthy King, across-the-street neighbor growing up; and in recent years Jane's loyal companion, friend, jack-of-all-trades, errand-runner, meal-provider, florist, and fountain of encouragement and good cheer.

FUNERAL DETAILS: The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Friday, July 9, at Christ the King Catholic Church (a brief Vigil Service will begin at 6:00). A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at the church on Saturday, July 10, at 10 a.m. Christ the King Catholic Church is located at 742 Arlington Road, Jacksonville 32211 (on the corner of Arlington Road and Arlington Expressway: 724-0080).

On Friday night, we'll have a chance to visit, and there will be a viewing as you join us for a traditional "Vigil Service" of the Catholic Church: a hymn, some Scripture, a brief homily, prayers, and an opportunity for sharing a memory or a story or a tribute or a poem or a prayer or even a song with our family and friends (a kind of "open mike" moment just before the final blessing). We family members will be arriving at church before the 6:00 start of the (1/2-hour) vigil-service, and will stay to visit with you as long as you care to after the service.

Saturday morning's 10:00 Mass will be a Catholic funeral Mass, with so many of the wonderful signs of Mom's - and our - baptism. After Mass, we invite you to stay for a light meal at the Christ the King parish hall, adjacent to the church.

Mom's body will be cremated in the days after the funeral, and we will inter her remains in a lovely niche at Arlington Park Cemetery sometime in mid-to-late July. We're asking that in lieu of flowers, you please make donations in Jane Morgan's name to one of three of her favorite charities:

(1) the St. Vincent de Paul Society (of Christ the King parish: mail to Christ the King parish, 742 Arlington Road, Jacksonville FL 32211); or

(2) the Sisters of St. Joseph (P.O. Box 3506, St. Augustine, FL 32085); or

(3) Northeast Florida Community Hospice (4266 Sunbeam Road, Jacksonville FL 32257).

We are being assisted with funeral arrangements by:

Arlington Park Cemetery and Funeral Home, 6920 Lone Star Road, Jacksonville FL 32211-5832, (904) 724-6384.