Obituary: John Morgan

John Morgan, 71, of Yreka passed away March 5, 2025, after complications from heart failure.  He will be deeply missed by his family and friends.

John was born May 22, 1953, in Yreka, California to Jack and Kathryn Morgan. He attended school in Yreka and graduated from Yreka High School in 1971. He went on to College of the Siskiyous and received his AA Degree.  John was an amazing husband, father and pops. He was always there to support his kids and grandkids in anything they chose to participate in.

After finishing his degree at College of the Siskiyous, he met the love of his life Deborah Bennett. Shortly after dating they married on November 20, 1976. John took on raising two daughters, Tracy and Noel Soletti. They purchased their first home and had two more children, a daughter Jodi and son John Jr. They were married for 48 years.

John worked for a short period of time for the Forest Service at The Forks of the Salmon River Station. After that, he began working for Siskiyou County Public Works. He was a road maintenance worker for many years. He became the assistant foreman and retired as foreman from Siskiyou County Public Works. He loved his job and made sure that his roads were always perfect. He retired in May of 2015.

John’s greatest accomplishments in life were his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  John was at the births of 4 of his grandchildren, Lane Clark, Morgan Berry, Andrew Berry and Paisley Berry. He was also at the births of two of his great grandchildren Leo and Luca LaFollette.  John and his daughter Jodi coached baseball for his grandsons Lane and Timothy. They also coached both the boys all the way through Pop Warner Football, giving them time to travel, spend nights in motels and be at every game Lane and Timothy played. He served as a board member for the Yreka Union School District. He also was a part of Yreka Little League, Babe Ruth and Pop Warner Football.

John loved fishing, duck hunting, turkey hunting and buck hunting. Even when he got older and couldn’t do long hikes anymore, he would still go and be a driver. John also played city league basketball and city league baseball for many years. Wherever he went, Jodi and Johnny were usually right by his side.

John is survived by his daughter Jodi of Montague, and her children Lane, Morgan, Andrew and Paisley.  John Morgan Jr and his wife Laurie of Grenada, and their children Dustin, Kayla and Baylee. Noel Soletti Jones and her husband Eric of Sacramento, and their children Taylor and Gwenna. Tracy Grotting of Redding, and her children Brandon, Ben and Timothy. Ten great grandchildren and siblings Carol Brower, Ron Morgan, Anita Mcdonald and Eric Morgan. John was preceded in death by: his wife Debbe Morgan, his parents Jack and Kathryn Morgan and his brother Alan Morgan.

A service will be held on Friday April 4, 2025 at 12:30pm at Girdner Funeral Chapel, followed by a burial at Saint Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Yreka. A reception will follow the burial at the Yreka Elks Lodge.