Bruce Harold Morgan, 89, passed away at his home in Arlee, Montana on August 28,
2020. He was born in Eckley, Colorado on August 1, 1931 to Earl Morgan and Rema
Rogers Morgan. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Ole Page Morgan; daughters,
Debbie Ruth (John) Lapeer, Michigan; Teresa Edwards (Gary), Pendleton, Oregon and Tracy Morgan (Gordon Campbell), Lewisburg, West Virginia; 8 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Michel Simpson (Jim), grandson Taylor Edwards, 3 brothers: Earl, Howard and Paul and one sister, Ilene Bueltell.
Bruce grew up on a farm in Eckley, Colorado. He was active in sports in high school, playing baseball, basketball and football and even joined the Glee Club when an injury prevented him from playing basketball one year. He was captain of the football and baseball team. He graduated in 1949 and joined the United States Navy in October of 1950. After boot camp, Bruce went to the Naval Intelligence School in San Diego. He was assigned to the Naval Air Station at Port Lyautey, Morocco in North Africa. He then volunteered for sea duty and was assigned to the Flag ship of the 6th Fleet in Mediterranean. After completing sea duty, he returned to Port Lyautey. He was then re-assigned to the National Security Agency in Arlington, Virginia where he finished out his service. He was discharged a month early so he could attend college at Colorado State University, where he majored in civil engineering and graduated in 1959 and took a position with the United States Forest Service. During his career he served on 11 different national forests in seven western states. At the time of his retirement in 1984 he was the Forest Supervisor for the Pike and San Isabel National Forests in Pueblo, Colorado.
Bruce and Ole retired to their mountain home near Placerville, Colorado and lived there for many years until they bought a farm in Montrose, Colorado where they lived for several years and then moved to Austin, Colorado before their final move to Arlee, Montana.
In 1982, Bruce was invited to join the Roundup Riders of the Rockies. The Roundup Ride, or 3R, is an organization dedicated to the perpetuation of the Western Tradition associated with the relationship between the American Cowboy and his horse. It is made up of some 150 horseback riders who make an annual weeklong trail ride in the Colorado Rockies. Bruce rode with this group of men for 19 years. During many of those years Bruce served on the Ride and Trail Committee, which planned and pre-rode the trails for the annual 100-mile ride-a difficult
task. During his time with the group, Bruce received awards from his fellow riders. In 1988, Bruce received the “Dick Dickson Individual Contribution” Award, which is presented to one rider who had contributed the most to that year’s ride. Then in 2002, Bruce received the “Joe Deckker Top Hand” Award for many years of dedicated service to the organization. Bruce was a well-respected fellow rider, horseman and man of the wilderness.
He was an avid hunter and an excellent shot. He seldom missed. He especially liked upland game bird hunting and hunted in Nebraska, eastern Colorado near his boyhood home, western Colorado and Kansas.
Bruce was an exceptional husband, father, father -in-law, grandfather and friend. He had a big impact on many lives and will be greatly missed.
Until we meet again, Bruce (Dad), Keep your chin in the wind and don’t let the sons of bitches get you down.
2020-10-08