Christopher Clark Morgan
May 19, 1933 – November 19, 2011
Christopher Clark Morgan was born May 19, 1933 in Worcester, Massachusetts to Katharine Irving Clark and Vincent Morgan. He attended Oberlin College where he met and fell in love with a charming redhead, Josephine Rettie. Chris served in the Korean War from 1953-55 and did indeed marry Jo in 1955.
After graduating from Oberlin, Chris and Jo moved to Eugene, Oregon where Chris attended the University of Oregon to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture. After graduation, he joined the architectural firm Balheiser, Rhodes and Smith, and later as partner, was asked to open the Seattle office. In 1968 he moved his family to Bainbridge Island, Washington.
After working for the firm, Chris decided to open his own private practice on Bainbridge Island, designing homes in the Northwest Contemporary style. Later, he partnered with architect Richard Lindstrom who worked with him to design the Winslow Mall and numerous private homes including his own on Grand Avenue which was featured in “House Beautiful.” His partner’s home won an award from the American Institute of Architects and was featured in “Sunset Magazine.” His design of artist Jim Howell’s home on San Juan Island also won him some recognition. Always interested in new developments in materials and design, he built an energy efficient active and passive solar home at Bill Point in 1980. Many of his designs included innovations in green building.
During the 1970s Chris served on the Kitsap County Planning Commission. Ever an entrepreneur and wine lover, he helped Jo open one of the Northwest’s earliest wine specialty stores, The Cork Shop, first next to the American Marine Bank, then later in the Winslow Mall.
In 1980 he left his practice to teach at Washington State University (1980-81), during which time he also earned his Master’s in Architecture at the University of Idaho. After completing his Masters, Chris and Jo moved to the south, where Chris first taught architecture at Louisiana Tech (1981-1984) and then at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (1984-1998). At UNCC he was chair of the School of Architecture and helped lead the design process for a new Architecture building. Continuing his support of his wife’s artistic pursuits and entrepreneurial spirit, he also helped Jo open a weaving and knitting store called The Weavers Studio.
He retired from UNCC to Bellingham in 1998, where he was very involved in the arts and community planning.
Sailing was a lifelong passion. Chris spent his childhood summers sailing on Squibnocket Pond in Martha’s Vineyard, raced Six Meter boats in Puget Sound, crossed the Atlantic from Spain to Bermuda with a crew of three others on a 70’ Ketch, and took his family for vacations as far north as Desolation Sound. He loved being near the sea and vacationed habitually at Surfcrest – a comfortable hideaway in Copailis, Washington.
The last five years were very eventful for Chris. In 2006 his older daughter gave him a kidney. A year later he replaced his right hip. And in 2009 he nearly lost his beloved Josephine to a stroke. The stroke left her unable to speak or write and without the use of her right hand. His life switched instantly from well-kept husband to constant caregiver to Jo, and in this role he was adept and devoted. His compassion for her challenges of speech loss and impaired mobility was bottomless. He would not leave her for more than a couple of hours, made sure her every need was met and showed perfect patience in working to understand what she tried so hard to express without words.
Chris died November 19, 2011 from a head injury after a fall. He is survived by his sister Joan Anderson of Duxbury, Massachusetts, his wife of 56 years Jo Morgan, His daughters Elizabeth Morgan of Olympia (BHS ’79) and Pamela Jull of Bellingham (BHS ’81), their families which include his three grandchildren, Peter, Katharine and Natalie, and his sons in law, Garth Cowan and Burrell Jull, who treasured his friendship.
Memorial donations may be made to The Whatcom Symphony Orchestra, www.whatcomsymphony.com and The Environmental Defense Fund, www.edf.org.
Please see more about Chris’ life, share your memories of Chris and sign the online guest book at www.molesfuneralhomes.com.
A party to celebrate Chris’ life will be held at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal on Monday eve, December 19th from 5:30-8 p.m. Bring your spirited stories, brief toasts and love to share. A second party to celebrate Chris’ life will be held at the Inn at Vineyard Lane on February 19th, from 4:00-7:00 p.m. Bring your spirited stories, brief toasts and love to share. Contact Elizabeth Morgan at (360) 705-2843 for more information..
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