Edward Morgan

MORGAN, Edward John "Ted", "Doc", 83, died suddenly, but peacefully on February 26, 2017 after a valiant five-year battle with Alzheimer's.

The son of Thomas Edward and Gladys (Kilgore) Morgan, Ted was born in Sydney, Australia and raised in small village of Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. He graduated with highest honors from the University of Sydney and earned his PhD at Cambridge University, England.

Coming to the US in 1960 to teach math, engineering, and physics at Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio, Ted moved to Fond du Lac in 1967 to become Mercury Marine's Director of Advanced Research. Retiring as Merc's Director of Advanced Engineering in 1991, Ted formed SIETEC Corp. and engaged in the design and build of small diesel-fueled engines for NASA, DARPA and the military. The holder of a number of patents and author of numerous technical papers, he was member of the Society of Automobile Engineers (SAE) and the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) for over 35 years.

A highly competitive athlete, Ted enjoyed marathons, triathlons, off-road biking, downhill skiing in Colorado, lunch hour swimming, and hiking and cross country skiing in the Kettle Moraine. A true renaissance man, he immersed himself in scientific journals and books, classical music, astronomy, mathematical puzzles and games, woodland restoration, the history of science and the study of economics. Ted also enjoyed watching NASCAR and the geometry of golf.

Dr. Morgan is survived by his wife, Linda "Lin" Watson Morgan, his children: Stephen (Lois Clark) Morgan of St. Paul, MN, David Morgan of Marshall, and Laura Morgan of Watertown and their mother, Eileen Morgan of Sun Prairie. Survivors also include Lin's children, Dena Sedlmayr (Todd Peterson), Peggy (Jeffrey) Maertz, Sondi (Scott) Cummins, the 8 grandchildren and the 2 great-grandchildren. Ted is also survived by Morgan and Kilgore family in Australia, Scotland, England and Singapore, as well as former students and colleagues the world over.

Ted was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Thomas Russell Morgan and his life-long friend, Stephen Mandel.

A memorial service and Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, April 8, 2017, 4:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Convention Center, 625 Rolling Meadows Drive, Fond du Lac, WI.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials to any of the following:
The Nature Conservancy - www.nature.org

The International Crane Foundation - www.savingcranes.org

The Leopold Foundation - www.aldoleopold.org

Olbrich Botanical Gardens - www.olbrich.org

Gottfried Prairie & Arboretum - www.gottfriedprairiearboretum.org

The Alzheimer's Association - www.alz.org

Agrace Hospice - www.agrace.org


Cress Funeral Home of Stoughton is serving the family. Please share your memories at www.cressfuneralservice.com


A Bit More About E.J. Morgan (as he always signed his name)

Ted was born in Sydney, Australia, a precocious and 'gifted' child. His father, a teacher, as well as an engineer, moved the family to the small village of Katoomba in the Blue Mountains to avoid the social expectations and complications that would naturally evolve for Ted and his older brother Tom. His parents wanted the boys to have a "normal" childhood. Even while quite young the boys, with their dingo dog along to deal with the infamous snakes, spent their days roaming the mountains and valleys, exploring the wonders of nature around them until Tom started primary school. Ted then went to school too.

Ted was fascinated by science and math, teaching himself calculus in third year. His fourth year he read Robinson Crusoe in French. He was ready to move on having learned all the teachers could teach him but was not allowed to proceed to high school. He spent his remaining years in primary school reading and tutoring his classmates in math and physics.

His father also insisted he attend secondary school at a relatively normal pace so the boys did not enter the University of Sydney until Tom was 18; Ted was 16. It is understood that both boys enjoyed all the varied experiences of college life.

Ted's mother was also an educated woman, a social activist, a lover of the arts. She is responsible for his love of classical music, the theatre, his disdain of those that refuse to offer compassion and especially those that reject knowledge and truth.

Ted's time at Cambridge provided even more opportunities to learn and to explore his beloved math and science as well as all the social adventures of grad school. He married a London girl and 1960 granted a degree, a teaching position in the States, and the birth of a son.

Ted has been a permanent resident of the US since his arrival 1960 and has maintained his Australian citizenship. He wasn't willing to become an American citizen until he could have dual citizenship and never took the time from his daily activities to complete the application process. His ashes will be returned to his precious mountains.

Because of his belief in science and scientific research Ted donated his brain to the Wisconsin Brain Donor Program at the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. Ted believed that science will bring a time that others will not know the indignity of this disease.

The family trusts Ted's gift will hasten that time.

Ted was wonderful man -- so exceptional in his willingness to share his joy and appreciation of the natural world and its wonders, his ability to teach without patronizing and his untiring endeavors to learn even more.

Those that knew him will always remember his generosity, his thoughtfulness, his infectious laugh and that smile, oh, that smile.