Morgan James Gayvert

Morgan James Gayvert, 65, of Washington, formerly of Torrance CA, died at home on Monday, April 9, 2012 following a long battle with brain cancer. He was born on November 5, 1946 in Morehead City NC, son of Lois Goss Gayvert and grew up in Washington, graduating from Trinity High School in June 1965. His junior year he attended Miller School of Albemarle in Virginia. Following graduation from Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics, he worked for Western Airlines at Los Angeles Airport and continued under Delta Airlines ownership. He was later employed by TRW and Northrop Grumman as a space research technician. That division closed down in 2006 at which time he sold his home in Torrance and returned to Washington a year later. Born with many talents and a brilliant mind, he was repairing clocks and small appliances by age 11. He was taught phonics at home from age 3 and read the daily newspaper before starting school. He read all his World Book Encyclopedias while in grade school. In the third month of third grade he was tested and passed all subjects except math with a high 7th grade average. Further testing showed he had 90% retention of all he read. A lover of classical music from preschool years, he could play anything he heard in the key it was written. Before graduating from high school he had mastered 8 instruments including ukulele, guitar, piano, organ, French horn, saxophone, violin and bagpipes. In California he became piper/arranger for the Misty Isles Piper Band and appeared in the movie “Hello, Dolly.” He served as piper for the de-commissioning ceremony transferring the Queen Mary from the British fleet to Long Beach harbor. On May 19, 1984 he married Susan D. Sheets of Torrance and had 2 children Morgan had a life-long interest in model railroads and historic narrow-gauge lines and was active in a model railroad club in CA. He co-authored (with Larry Kohler) a history of the Washington-Waynesburg line, entitled “Three Feet on the Panhandle”. For many years he re-created engine models of any line of any period at the request of model railroaders throughout the country. Morgan grew up in the Avery United Methodist Church and when in Torrance was part of the Anza Baptist Church. An active, sincere Christian, at the time of his death he was a member of View Crest Presbyterian Church. A devoted family man, he is survived by his mother Lois of Santa Ana CA, his wife Susan, son Timothy Morgan and daughter Esther Marie of Washington, brother Timothy Lee (Deborah), nieces Angela, Amanda and Emily of Simi Valley CA, uncles Glenn (Winifred) Goss of Indiana, Rev. James (Dolores) Goss of Ridgecrest CA, Robert (Mary Lee) Gayvert of NC, Raymond (Catherine) Gayvert of Billings MT, aunts Eleanor Morris of Claysville, Nancy (John) Grant of Santa Ana CA, Leona Clemenson of Johnstown, mother-in-law Dorothy Sloan and sisters-in-law Karen and Chris Sheets of Long Beach. Deceased are his father Verner E. Gayvert, grandparents C. Werner “Pop” (Esther) Gayvert, and Ernest Paul Sr. (Artie D. Breese) Goss. Friends will be received on Friday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. in the William G. Neal Funeral Homes, Ltd., 925 Allison Ave., Washington. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 14th in View Crest Presbyterian Church, 833 Linden Road, Eighty-Four, with Pastor Shaun Nolan officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Child Evangelism Outreach Inc., 1654 Park Ave. Washington PA 15301 or Horse ‘N Soul Riding Academy, 48 Oscar Ames Drive, Eighty-Four PA 15330