Photos © by Jan Fendley

Obit for Terry posted by Janet Laubhan Flickinger

http://www.havenbrookfuneralhome.com/

Lifetime resident of Norman, Terry Lee Morgan, passed from this earth on Sunday, March 16th, 2014. His journey was a short 59 years.

Terry was raised in Little Axe, OK until the 7th grade, when his family moved into Norman. He was just 13 when a new family moved in next door and he met his soul mate, Jami Ryan; it was love at first sight for Terry. They quickly became inseparable from that moment until his final breath. They celebrated 42 years of marriage this past December. They grew up together while building a family, a business, a reputation, and a legacy.

As a young teen, Terry worked at Bob Ramey’s restaurant at Porter and Lindsey. At age 16 he had the opportunity to try his hand at residential frame carpentry, where he soon found his gift and his passion. He worked diligently to hone his craft. As a member of the Norman Builders Association, he spent his career building many thousands of homes in Norman, Moore, Edmond, Ada Oklahoma, and a few years in New Jersey.

He was one of the best in the industry. The house you call home is likely framed by Terry Morgan. Even with the time and expertise it took to gain a reputation in a cut throat industry, his greatest love and pride was his family. His business was always a family business, employing his brothers, cousins, nephews, kids, and now his grandkids, and all of his friends whom he considered family. He was a selfless, giving and sharing man who would have given the shirt off his back to anyone. He always said everything he had was to share with those he loved. Follow me and we will do great things! Not everyone made it, but the business survives and will prosper beyond his time on earth.

Terry also had a great passion for the outdoors. It was the one place in the entire world where he could have peace, solitude, quietness and all that sitting still in nature can provide. He would carve out time in a busy schedule of work and family to make time to fish and hunt. Hunting season saw him in a tree before day light and before dark, which meant he didn’t sleep several months of the year. He believed in responsible hunting and obeyed and supported the Oklahoma Wildlife Service. So he threw them back if they were too small, and went without bagging a deer, rather than misuse a tag. He spent many freezing and sleeting nights catching monster catfish at Lake Thunderbird. He taught all of the kids growing up around him respect and discipline with firearms and wildlife. It was important to him that during his final days he spent perfect time hanging out and fishing with his son Phillip.

Those that preceded Terry from this life and are fishing with him now in eternity: His father, Gene Morgan, his brother Larry Gene Morgan, his brother-in-law Nelson Woods and his grandson Clayton Christopher Elliott.

More than all else, Terry gave to his family with honor and love. He was always passionately in love with Jami, his wife, his heart, his Mom, Dorothy Irwin, whom he honored and loved all of his life, his siblings but most importantly his children, who always knew that they had all of his heart, exclusively. He had only two because as he said “if the boat flips I can save only these two”. His oldest daughter Angela Dawn Morgan Elliott is his amazing, talented, educated, precious, baby girl. Her education was his legacy to the great, great, grandkids. He was so proud of his son Phillip Lee Morgan’s service to the United States Marines, and Phillip’s steadfast care of his mom, Jami, these past few years. Angela and her husband Daniel Elliott have truly continued his legacy with their son’s Aaron, Jordan, and Trey. Dan is continuing the business, and Aaron is following as the third generation of Morgan Homes throughout central Oklahoma. 

Visitation will be held from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., Friday, March 21, 2014.  Family will greet friends during this time.  Services will be held 10:00 a.m, Saturday, March 22, 2014 at Havenbrook Funeral Home, 3401 Havenbrook St., Norman, Oklahoma, with interment following at I.O.O.F. Cemetery, Norman, Oklahoma.  Arrangements for Terry and his family were placed in the care of the Vice Family at Havenbrook Funeral Home of Norman. 

Online condolences may be shared at www.havenbrookfuneralhome.com.