John "Bud" Hamilton Morgan, Jr.

John Hamilton Morgan, Jr. (Bud) left his physical body on Friday January 14, 2022, surrounded by loved ones and in serenity and peace in his home-away-from-home in St. George, Utah.  

John was ushered into the world on October 11, 1923, as the second child of four children and only son to Lucille Parkinson Lloyd and John Hamilton Morgan, Sr. in Salt Lake City, Utah. He and his three sisters enjoyed a lifelong pact of fierce loyalty and love. “Brother” was their joy and their relationships have sustained them for close to a century. John was an irreverent but devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and had many fond memories of The Garden Park Ward where he found comfort and friendship as a youth.  The teachings of the Gospel provided him with great comfort during the last years of his life.  

In 1935 at the age of 12, on a sunny Saturday afternoon, John won the Salt Lake Marble Tournament. It was a small victory, but to John, it was an important victory and helped in chiseling a character filled with hope, joy, enthusiasm, optimism, tenacity, fearlessness, and a belief that that if you worked hard enough anything is possible.  It also spurred a joy of athletic competition which included a lifelong devotion to tennis. 

In 1943 along with many of those of “The Greatest Generation”, he served two years in the 44th Infantry Division in Europe. His mission was to supply ammunition and food to frontline soldiers. In 1945 he was furloughed and was given orders to report to the Pacific Command in two weeks. While he was home, the war ended abruptly and in disbelief he entered a new chapter in his life.  

After the war, John returned to Salt Lake City and in 1950 completed a degree in Political Science. It was on the campus of The University of Utah where he met the love of his life, Daisy Richter. She was the ONE from the moment he laid eyes on her. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on June 12, 1950. Hope and unlimited possibilities filled their dreams. They marched proudly into a modern industrialized nation and did their part to create the baby-boom generation by bringing four bright eyed youngsters into the world in rapid succession.   

In 1951 John joined forces with his father, John H. Morgan, Sr., and Clarence Justheim. As pioneers of the Oil and Gas Industry they organized the Uintah Wyoming Oil and Gas Company. They proudly called themselves “The Three Musketeers”.  It soon became clear that young John was the creative force behind their collaboration and had an exciting vision for the future, especially for Southern Utah. In 1967 Uintah Wyoming Oil and Gas merged into Utah Resources International and in collaboration with Morgan Gas and Oil, Justheim Petroleum Company and Wyoming Petroleum Corporation, they acquired 906 acres in St. George, Utah. With John’s vision, unique entrepreneurial ability, and capacity to promote, the desert began to bloom in the late 1970s. With the building of the St. George Hilton (now The Desert Garden Inn), the Southgate Golf Course and other commercial and residential real estate developments, John helped to put St. George on the map. He remained actively involved in realizing this vision for the next 15 years and until recently, John served as Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of Morgan Gas & Oil Company since 1982.  

His creative imagination did not end with real estate and oil and gas development. In 1987 along with his wife Daisy Morgan and friends Sylvia Wunderli and Royce Jones, they launched the World Senior Olympics later to become the Huntsman World Senior Games. The first year, the games were almost cancelled because of lack of participants, but all were determined to make a go of it. Over the next 35 years annual participation has ballooned to over 11,200 participants from around the world. There have been over 83 participating countries and in 2021 it is estimated that the economic impact on St. George and surrounding areas was close to 20.4 million dollars.  

In 1981, J. Michael Bennion came to work for all the companies and brought much needed organization and professional skills. Mike became a member of the “Morgan family” and has supported John in his long career of service.  “Service Beyond Self” was a great motivator throughout his life.  

The long list of organizations and entities that benefited from John’s ability to raise funds and bring much needed support to the Arts, Government and Service organizations were numerous. He served on the board of the Utah State Department of Business & Economic Development, was Co-Chair of the University of Utah Ballet Scholarship Program, served on the Board of Governors of the Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, the boards of Intermountain Healthcare, KUED and Project 2000.   John was a member of the Salt Lake Rotary Club, the Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Alta Club and was a member of the National Advisory Council of Dixie College in St. George, Utah. As a lover of music and the performing arts John served on the Board of Directors of the Utah Symphony, was President of the Maestro Club and served as on the Board of Directors of Ballet West where, at the age of sixteen, his daughter, Victoria, began her professional dancing career. 

For twenty-four years John served on the Scholarship Program for The Sons of the Utah Pioneers.  He travelled the Wasatch Front daily promoting the program working with the high school counselors.  However, John thought it was important to move beyond the high school counselors.  To the amazement of many he made it a point, well into his 90’s, to interview and motivate each student receiving a scholarship.  With the help of Wayne P. Webster, Jr. and Kathy Loveless the program has 2,727 scholarships over the years helping high school seniors, many who had overcome difficult obstacles in their lives, attend the university of their choosing.  

After losing his beloved wife, Daisy to the complications of Alzheimer’s disease, he married for the second time, Wilma Clayton in 2002. They loved to play tennis together and he embraced her family as his own. He received great joy from her children and grandchildren. However, in 2017 they decided to part ways.  

In the years that followed John continued on his journey to support the underdog, create new vision for the companies and to embrace life with hope and love. His generosity, warmth, kindness wit and wisdom will leave a huge vacuum to all that shared time with him.  

John was preceded in death by his wife, Daisy R. Morgan 2001, his son John H. Morgan III, 1978, his daughter Patricia Morgan 2001 and his sister Dawn Delvie 2016. He is survived by his sisters Helen Leech and Erma Todt, his daughters, Victoria Morgan, Anne (Roy) Jespersen. Step-grandchildren Soren B. (Kristen) Jespersen, Maren (Shane) Earn and John Paul Jespersen. He has 4 cherished step great-grandchildren and devoted and loving pets Niko and Cami.  

There were many dear souls that helped Dad negotiate his life through his 90s including but not limited to Rebecca Bennion, Rosa Robles, Gloria Ozuna Perez and a special thank you to Alisa Harris and her beautiful family for their companionship and love over the last 2 years. The family would also like to thank Encompass Hospice for their care and professionalism during the last week of his care. 

Living 98 years is an achievement on its own so with John’s motto and encouraging words, “Carry On, Carry On Carry On”! 

A funeral celebration will be held at 11:00am on Monday January 24th, 2022 at the Federal Heights Ward, 1300 Fairfax Road, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84103, where friends and family may visit from 9:30am to 10:30am prior to the services. Interment: Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park. On line memories and tributes can be posted to the family at www.holbrookmortuary.com

Live stream of the funeral will take place on the Holbrook Mortuary web site on the John Morgan Obituary page. To watch the live stream scroll to the bottom of the John Morgan obituary page and you will see a TV screen.  The pre funeral broadcast will start about 10:30.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The American Free Enterprise Foundation, c/o Kathy Loveless, 198 E. Ensign Vista Dr., Salt Lake City, UT 84103 for a scholarship in John’s name for High School Students.