Robert Morgan Obituary

Robert L. "Bob" Morgan
FAIRFIELD, CA - Robert L. "Bob" Morgan, 84, died peacefully from a recent illness on November 27, 2014, at Laurel Creek Health Center in Fairfield, California, where he and his second wife Carole resided.
Bob was the son of Byron Hale Morgan and Mildred Scott Morgan. Born February 12, 1930 in San Jose, California, he grew up in Castro Valley, California and was graduated from Hayward High School, where he met his future wife Arden.
In 1948 he received an appointment to the United States Military Academy and was graduated with a BS in Military Engineering. Upon graduation from West Point in June of 1952, he married Arden P. Park in New York.
Morgan served in the Korean Conflict assigned to Company "D", 65th Engineer Combat Battalion. While in Korea, he received several Service medals along with the Bronze Star Medal and the Republic of Korea Presidential Citation. His first child Ann Michelle was born stateside, and his wife and daughter joined him in Japan in late 1954 when he was then assigned to nation building duties in Japan as engineer corps at Camp Kokura. A second daughter Barbara Ruth was born in Japan the next year.
He and his family returned to the U.S. in late 1955. Morgan was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg . His son Paul Scott was born the following year. Lt. Morgan and his family moved to Massachusetts, where he attended MIT and was awarded Masters Degrees in both Civil and Nuclear Engineering.
The Army then sent him to Idaho where he worked with their Nuclear Reactors Program. He received the Soldiers Medal for heroism for his actions after the SL-1 explosion that occurred on January 3, 1961, at the Idaho National Reactor Testing Station. Captain Morgan and his family moved several more times and one of his last military assignments was in 1964 to Djakarta, Indonesia, where he traveled extensively throughout Southeast Asia.
Upon his return, then Major Morgan accepted a civilian appointment to the Atomic Energy Commission and moved to the Aiken, SC, in 1965 working with the Commission's reactor development program.
From 1966-1973 Mr. Morgan was senior site representative at the Agency's Canoga Park, California, office. He returned to Aiken as deputy manager of the SRP in 1973 and was detailed to Washington, between 1977 and 1978, serving as acting director of Field Operations Management for the Assistant Secretary for Energy Technology, and upon his return he served as assistant manager for Health, Safety, and Environment.
In 1980, Mr. Morgan became SROO manager and oversaw the L Reactor restart, the upgrading of the main process facilities, and expansion of the administration complex in the 700 Area. His eight-year tenure was spent between SRS and DOE headquarters, as he maintained duties in both the field and headquarters. In 1981, he served as acting Assistant Secretary for defense programs in Washington. His responsibilities in Washington continued when he directed the development of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act and then served as DOE's Deputy Assistant Secretary for Defense Programs returning to his SROO post in 1984 and retired in 1988. While he lived in Aiken, he was a charter member of the Aiken Sunrise Rotary Club, a member of the Aiken Business Men's Club, and the Green Boundary Club.
Mr. Morgan, known as Do Dah to his grandchildren, Rockin Bob by his neighbors, and by his CB handle "The Road Apple", will be remembered for his zest for life and appreciation for all things that can be driven at a high rate of speed. He was a devoted military and civilian servant who not only believed in duty, honor, and country but held himself and others to the highest level of personal integrity. He loved a challenge, was wicked at cards, appreciated and understood process and technical compliance but disdained the politics that were involved. Since retiring from SRP and from consulting in the nuclear industry, Mr. Morgan and his wife Carole lived in various parts of the United States, before settling in California. They traveled extensively and always enjoyed attending West Point alumni functions. To the last months of his life, he enjoyed driving his vintage Mazda RX7 and his Harley Hog.
Survivors include his wife of 21 years Carole and his three children Ann M. (Tom) Lattimore of North Carolina, Barbara R. Morgan (Fred W. Andrea III) of Aiken, and Paul S. (Rebecca) Morgan of Maryland; grandchildren Robert Morgan Purvis, Arden Rebecca Morgan, and Jackson Scott Morgan. Mr. Morgan was preceded in death by his beloved first wife Arden and his brother Byron H. Morgan Jr.
A family memorial service will be held at West Point.
Memorials may be directed to the Hitchcock Woods Foundation P.O.Box 1702 Aiken,SC 29802.
SHELLHOUSE FUNERAL HOME, INC., 924 HAYNE AVE., AIKEN, SC
Mr. Morgan's online guestbook may be signed by visiting www.shellhousefuneralhome.com