Nona H. Morgan, died on Sunday, August 18, 2019, at her residence on Signal Mountain.
The daughter of John D. and Mary Higgins Hamilton, she was born in McMinn County, Tn., and was preceded in death by Dan. L. Morgan, her husband of 69 years; her great-grandson, Isaac Joseph McLaughlin; three sisters, Bess, Clara, and Hazel; five brothers, Gilbert, Elroy, Carlos, Charles, and Forest; her sister-in-law, Mary Morgan Hale; her brother-in-law, Jim Holley; her niece, Pat; and her nephew, Dwight.
Nona is survived by her sons, Dan (Monica) and Mark (Rachel); two granddaughters, Amy Morgan and Ashley McLaughlin (Jeremy); great-grandchildren, Stella and Leo Conte; her brother, Max Hamilton (Wanda); and her sister-in-law, Ethel Hamilton. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews: Judy, Jim, Carolyn, Faye, Bob, Roger, Michael, Jacqui, Michelle, Miriam, Nolan, Greg, David, Suzi, Elaine, Claude, Lynn, Dennis, Robbin, Nicole, Carrie, Vann, Yvonne, Carla, Shane, Stephanie, Jennifer, Marshall, Jeff, Becky, and Alison.
Nona was a lifelong learner, who pursued her education, first at Tennessee Wesleyan and later at the University of Tennessee, where she earned her Bachelor’s in Science, a master’s degree, and an ED.S. Her professional passion was vocational office education, where she prepared her students for careers in the business world. An innovative educator, she worked to bring some of the first computers and word processors into the classroom for her Vocational office Education classes at West High School, was selected the Knoxville Vocational Education Teacher of the Year in 1977, and was inducted into The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International. Nona was tenacious in her pursuit of excellence, her love of family, her community service, and her sense of adventure. She was active in the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Tennessee Republican Party, the American Cancer Society, various other community organizations, and was the founder of the Signal Mountain Red Hat Society. After their retirement, Nona and Dan traveled extensively, including visiting every Dover in the United Stated during the year of their 50th wedding anniversary inspired by the old song, Put on Your Old Grey Bonnet.
The family will receive friends and family at Nona’s residence on Monday, Aug. 19, from 6-8 pm. There will be a graveside service on Tuesday, Aug. 20, at 2:30 p.m. at Chattanooga National Cemetery with Revered Doctor Joe Dunagan officiating. Arrangements are under the care of the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory and Florist, 5401 Highway 153, Hixson, 423 698-2541.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Mountain Education Foundation (www.meftoday.org).
Please share your thoughts and memories at www.chattanooganorthchapel.com.