CLINTON — Albert Wayne Morgan, 83, passed away at Warner Hospital and Health Services on February 1, 2022, surrounded by his family. 

Al is survived by his wife of 60-plus years, Carlene, Clinton; daughters, Diana (Del) Henderson, Edwardsville, Ill., and Katherine (Chris) Drozs, Farmer City; sons, E. Wayne (Michelle) Morgan, Canton, Ill., and Carl (Mary) Morgan, Bloomington; and one brother, G. Alan Morgan, Murphysboro, Ill.   He has 13 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

He was born on September 29, 1938, to Euil and Shirley (Cates) Morgan, in Mt. Vernon, Ill.  He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister and brother-in-law, Peggy Anne and Don Phillips, and a sister-in-law, LaVonne Morgan.

Al graduated from Mt. Vernon High School with the class of 1956 and attended SIU-C, where he met Carlene. He graduated in 1960 and continued his studies in chemistry at the University of Minnesota.  He and Carlene married on July 9, 1961, at the First Baptist Church of Clinton.  Upon completion of his master’s degree, Al accepted a position with 3M in St. Paul, Minn., where he worked for four years before returning to live in Southern Illinois, working in new product research for Monsanto, in St. Louis, Mo. 

While living in Collinsville, Ill. for 17 years,  Al was active at First Baptist Church, serving as a camp counselor, director of the drama club, Sunday school teacher, choir member, and deacon. 

In 1984 he was transferred to Springfield, Mass. as new product research manager, and in 1988 he returned to the Monsanto St. Louis campus, living this time in Chesterfield, Mo.  During his time with Monsanto, Al secured over 40 U. S. patents and many foreign patents for the company.

After retiring from Monsanto in 1991, Al and Carlene relocated to Clinton, where they opened C & A Country Gardens.  Al worked for the USPS as a substitute rural carrier and taught evening chemistry classes at Richland Community College.  Al continued his desire to learn and completed the Master Gardener classes and was a member of the Illinois Specialty Growers Association.  He applied for and received two SBIR grants for the invention and development of a spray-on biodegradable foam mulch.  He was granted two U. S. patents and one European patent for his invention.

He was a life-long St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan, and the Packers were his football favorites. In basketball, his loyalties were split between the Celtics and the L.A. Lakers.

Family gatherings and his faith were very important to Al.  A Celebration of Life for family and friends will be held at 1 p.m. on May 21, 2022, at the Family Life Center at the Clinton First Christian Church, where Al was a member. 

Memorials may be directed to the Neighborhood Care Center, P. O. Box 346, Clinton. IL 61727 or Celebrate Clinton, P. O. Box 436, Clinton, IL 61727.