My religion is peace - Dalai Lama. Sanford “Sam” Morgan died peacefully May 8, 2025 at the Emogene Dolin Jones Hospice House after a long battle with Parkinson’s Dementia. He was born in Barboursville, attended all schools there, though his father was in the military, so they also lived elsewhere in the country. Sam especially liked the desert. Sam served six years as a firefighter in the Air Force Reserves. He became a professional musician in his early years along with his best friend Greg Adkins who preceded Sam in death in January of this year. They were members of the Explosive Dynamiks and a made a record in 1966 “A Whole Lotta Loving”. They celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2016. They went on to play in several other local groups, including AM Spoon and FM Fork and Sam played with the Mountain Stage Band for a few years. They played for many years with the Huntington Federal Trio at Tri-State Nursing Homes and Senior Centers until they were forced to discontinue due to Covid in 2020.
He was preceded in death by his parents Sherben and Erma Lee Morgan and his sister Peggy. Also preceding him in death was his only child Emily Claire who died in 1994 at the age of nine. He was also preceded in death by his family by marriage, Homer and Mary Louise Malone and his beloved sister-in-law, Linda Painter, as well as a number of cats. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Julia Malone Morgan. They were both professional social workers having graduated from WVU in 1980 with their Masters Degrees. Sam worked at Pathway Mental Health Center for a few years, and then returned to work for the State of WV for over 30 years at the Department of Welfare, then as the Director of Social Work at Huntington State Hospital for many years before retiring from the Department of Rehabilitation Services. After he retired, he continued to be involved in music; he enjoyed riding his lawn mower on our property in Malcolm Springs, (always checking through the grass first to avoid baby rabbits) and watching the goldfish play in the pond. He was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church.
Sam lived the last three years of his life in the loving care of Braley Care Home and in the last days of his life in the devoted care of the Hospice House. Julia will be eternally grateful to both families that were there to provide his care when she was not able to. Memorials may be made to either facility, to Little Victories Animal Rescue and the Cabell Wayne Animal Shelter, or another Rescue of your choice. There will be so services but stories and memories of Sam can be left in the condolences and will be much appreciated and cherished.
“Life is eternal and love is immortal and death is only a horizon, and a horizon is nothing but a limit to our sight.”
Wallace Funeral Home, Milton, is assisting the family. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.timeformemory.com/wallace.
