The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

Helen Florence Klafka Morgan, 93, of Orange passed away Thursday, Nov. 1, at Baptist Hospital in Orange. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 3, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church with Father Tom Phelan officiating. Interment will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens near Bridge City.

The family will receive friends for visitation from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. Saturday at Claybar Funeral Home in Orange. There will also be a visitation gathering from 1:00 p.m. until 1:20 p.m. at the church before service time.

Mrs. Morgan was born Oct. 3, 1919, in Kelner, WI. Her parents were Felix and Anastasia (Mudlaff) Klafka, who were Polish immigrants to America from West Prussia. She was the thirteenth child, and was raised in Milwaukee during the Great Depression. She started school at the early age of five, following her older sister, Emily to school.

She went on to be the first college graduate of her family and also graduated in the first RN class at Marquette University in 1941. Afterwards she joined the United States Navy and was stationed at Pearl Harbor where she met her husband. They then moved to Orange in 1945 and established their family.

Helen was a proud nurse, serving at the Francis Ann Lutcher Hospital, Old City Hospital and Dr. Pretz’s office. The balance of her career was spent in the halls of Orange Memorial Hospital, retiring in 1984 as a night nursing supervisor with more than 30 years of service. Throughout her years as a nurse, she established deep and lasting friendships with many patients including those she served as a private duty nurse.

Helen’s devotion was always to her strong Catholic faith, her family and friends and her vocation. Her time and energy went to filling needs wherever she saw them. You would always find a hot cup of coffee and a quick snack at her table.

Mrs. Morgan was preceded in death by her parents; husband of 63 years, Willie D. Morgan; son, Michael Morgan; sisters, Mary, Francis, Anna, Agnes, Irene and Emily and brothers, John, Anthony, Jacob, Peter, Frank and Roman.

She is survived by her daughters, Patricia Ojoboro of Houston and Margaret Funderburk and husband, Terry of Westminster, CO; and son, Willie David Morgan and wife, Marjorie of Orange.

She is also survived by her grandchildren, Leslie Burkis and Dale Funderburk, both of Westminster, Tommy Morgan of Austin, Allana Condon of Magnolia, Theresa Ojoboro, David Ojoboro, Emmanuel Ojoboro, Jr. all of Houston, Chrissy Babcock, Tammy Garmon both of Orange and Lorie Everitt of Colorado Springs, CO; as well as 11 great grandchildren.

Serving as pallbearers will be Milton Babcock, Justin Babcock, Jordan Babcock, David Ojoboro, Emanuel Ojoboro, Jr., Tommy Morgan, Jeff Garmon and Jason Everitt.