Russel J. Morgan

Russel J. Morgan, 82 of Kearney died Thursday, October 9, 2014 at his residence. Private family services will be held at the O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home in Kearney. A public visitation will be held from 5:00 -8:00 P.M., Tuesday, October 14, 2014 at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers memorials are suggested to the Shriners Hospital for Children in Minneapolis or the Nebraska Children's Hospital in Omaha. Interment will be held in the Elwood Cemetery in Elwood, Nebraska. Online condolences may be submitted www.osrfh.com. Russel J. Morgan was born on August 4, 1932 to Edna Merle (Abbott) Morgan and Marion Russel Morgan near Elwood, Nebraska. He attended and graduated from Elwood Public Schools in Elwood, Nebraska. He then attended one year at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He married Carolyn Ruth Curry in Holbrook, Nebraska on June 7, 1953. They spent two years in Germany where Russel served his country as an army medic. They returned to the states and settled in Elwood, Nebraska where he worked at First National Bank and Morgan Insurance Agency. He assumed the Presidency of the Bank upon his fathers' passing and remained there for 48 years until his retirement. During that time Russel was an active participant in many business and community organizations and served on the Board of Directors of the Nebraska Bankers Association, Elwood Chamber of Commerce, South Platte Chamber of Commerce, the Nebraska State Fairboard, Gosper County Fairboard, the Tri County Board, and the South Central Agricultural Bankers Group. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge, the Tri County Shriners, the Tehama Shriners, the Elks, Kiwanis Club, the American Legion, and the First United Methodist Church. He was a local baseball coach and led a scout troop. He supported all sports and 4-H in Gosper County and spent many years announcing the Elwood football games. He was instrumental in helping start the Elwood Care Center, the Elwood Medical Clinic, and the Elwood Rescue Unit. Upon retirement they moved to Kearney, Nebraska. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn of Kearney;Three Children- Stephanie and (Rick) Buell of Lexington, Nebraska, Jeffrey Morgan of Kearney, Nebraska, and Jennifer Lombardi of Omaha, Nebraska;Four Grandchildren - Katelin Buell of Chicago, Illinois, Jessica and (Sean) Gall of Kearney, Nebraska, Emma Heaton of Omaha, Nebraska, and Zachary Morgan of Kearney, Nebraska;Two Great Grandchildren- Sean David Gall and Vivian Leigh Gall of Kearney, Nebraska;and various other neices and nephews.He was preceeded in death by his parents - Marion and Merle Morgan, his sister- Marilyn Hickenbottom, and his sister- Sandra Morgan.

Russel J. Morgan

August 4, 1932 - October 9, 2014