Malcolm Leslie "Max" Morgan

Malcolm Leslie “Max” Morgan, 88, of Washington passed away Monday, October 31, 2016.  He lived a long and full life. He had a positive, upbeat take on life and with this same positive view he saw the good in other people. To him, life was a grand adventure and the people he got to know along the way were part of his grand adventure.

He was born January 2, 1928 in Speers, a son of Edward and Ellen Blystone Morgan.  He grew up in Speers and was a standout athlete at Charleroi High School in football and baseball. He is remembered for one 88yard touchdown run. He earned twelve full scholarships to play football in college, and from those in 1946 he chose to go to Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, but was drafted into the army after only a few weeks. He was stationed in Kyoto, Japan as part of the post-World War II occupation force.  Following his return, he attended the University of Pittsburgh.  After 3½ years at Pitt, he was again drafted into the army to serve during the Korean War.  During his time at Pitt he met Ruth York from Washington who became the love of his life. The two were married December 29, 1951 during a leave from the army.  He served two years in the Army Corps of Engineers.  Upon graduation from Officer Candidate School, he was commissioned a First Lieutenant and would rise to the rank of Captain and serve as a Company Commander.  He continued his service by serving in the Army Reserves for an additional 15 years.

In 1954 he moved his family back to Speers.  There, he joined the Carpenters Union and worked as a carpenter. He expanded his skills learned from his father who was a construction foreman. This knowledge would serve Max well throughout his life. He also served as a President of the Speers Council where he initiated the project to pave all the “red dog” roads in Speers Hill with asphalt.

Mr. Morgan with his wife and children moved to Washington in 1958 where he joined York Realty, a firm begun by his father-in-law B. E. York, as a real estate agent, broker, and appraiser. He formed Holiday Construction Company with his brother-in-law Donald York and started a housing development, known as Holiday Hills, on the York family farm.  He also served as President of the Greater Washington Realtors Association in the late 1960s.

He 1967 he ran and was elected as Washington County Treasurer serving two terms.  Following his time as treasurer, he was elected as Washington County Commissioner and served as Board Chairman.  He had a great interest in preserving history and was delighted to be able to initiate the restoration of the Washington County Courthouse in 1978. He greatly enjoyed those years serving in Washington County government, and made many lifelong friends among those associated with county and local government.  During his time in office, he enjoyed campaigning and traveling to different parts of the county, meeting people and hearing their stories.

They moved to Florida in 1980 for a few years where he applied his knowledge of both real estate and construction. He worked with business partners as he helped manage real estate investments while also managing property development for condominiums in Miami and Tampa. He was Vice-President of Financial Capital of America and President of Pine Grove Development Company.

Moving back to Washington in 1989, Max became the first Executive Director of the Washington Country Council on Economic Development (WCCED). He pursued economic development projects with the same gusto he had brought to all the other business and government activities that he had been involved in during prior decades. WCCED provided Small Business Administration backed loans to hundreds of local start-up businesses and to existing expanding businesses. He facilitated a deal to acquire 1,100 acres of land from the PA Game Commission, on which Starpointe Business Park in Burgettstown is situated. He was endlessly enthusiastic about the idea of bringing new, modern industrial enterprises to Washington County. As with so many of his endeavors he leveraged his knowledge of business, construction, and real estate to make dreams into reality.  While at the WCCED, he took the initiative to acquire the dilapidated B&O Train Station on Main Street from CSX.  Mr. Morgan was instrumental in obtaining the funds and restoration experts to complete the restoration.  Because he enjoyed working and was enthusiastic about continuing to help develop Washington County, Max remained Executive Director of WCCED until he was 80.

Over the years, he served on numerous boards, including the National Road Heritage Park, Nonprofit Housing Corporation of Washington County, United Way of Washington County, Washington County Community Foundation, and the Washington County Historical Society.

He was a member of the American Legion Post #175 in Washington, Washington Elks Lodge #776 and was a proud member of the University of Pittsburgh fraternity Phi Delta Theta.

Surviving are four children, Susan Morgan (Mark Moninger) of Washington, Sally Scorzetti (Frank) of Paoli, Daniel J. Morgan (Stephanie) of McKinney, TX and Nancy Cameron (James) of Washington; 14 grandchildren, Charity Miller (Jorge Garzon), Morgan Miller (Katie), Summer Binder (Brian), Ashley Bright (Stephen), Matt Scorzetti (Karen), Peter Scorzetti (Siana Mihova), Jay Scorzetti, Karina Scorzetti, Tara Rucinski (Derek), Quinn Morgan, Justin Cameron (Joelle), Faith Frazier (Gabriel), Joel Cameron, and Zachary Cameron (Nicole); and 8 great grandchildren.

Max is preceded in death by his parents, his wife Ruth, and brother, Phillip Morgan, who was a professional jazz pianist who performed mostly in New Orleans, Louisiana.

He was extraordinarily generous in spirit and kind at heart.  He showed by example how to embrace life.  He was loved by his family, and he will be greatly missed but not forgotten.

Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 Wednesday in the McIlvaine-Speakman Funeral Home Ltd., Robert K. McIlvaine, Owner/Supervisor, 27 Cherry Ave., Houston, PA 15342.  Services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, November 3, 2016 at the Destiny Hill Farm, 1069 S. Main St., Washington, PA 15301.   Interment will be private.  The family suggests memorial contributions to The Malcolm Morgan Fund at the Washington County Community Foundation, P.O. Box 308, Eighty Four, PA 15330 (http://www.wccf.net/for-donors/list-of-funds/malcolm-morgan-community-fund) or the Ruth York Morgan Health Education Learning Place of the Washington Health System, 155, Wilson Ave., Washington, PA 15301.   

 Service Information