Marilyn Sue Morgan, a devoted teacher, missionary, mother, and friend, passed away peacefully on March 16 in Hendersonville, North Carolina, at the age of 93.
Marilyn was born on October 8, 1932, in Boulder, Colorado, to Henry and Harriet Johnson. She grew up during the Great Depression, when her family returned to her father’s roots in Elm Creek, Nebraska. Life on the farm was not always easy, but it offered lessons in resourcefulness, resilience, and faith. Marilyn often recalled raising turkeys, taking shelter from tornadoes in the cellar, and learning how to live well with very little. She shared a special lifelong bond with her sisters, Myrna and Carole.
Her early education took her from a small rural school in Nebraska to Union Springs Academy in New York, where her father served as principal, and later to Tacoma Academy in Maryland, where she graduated in 1950. She went on to attend Walla Walla College, graduating in 1954.
While at Walla Walla, Marilyn met a young man who would change the course of her life, Henry Earl Rieseberg. They fell deeply in love and were married soon after graduation. Together, they began a life of service, first teaching at Indiana Academy before answering a call to mission work in West Africa.
Their years in Nigeria, Liberia, and Ghana were filled with purpose, adventure, and fulfillment. During this time, their family grew with the birth of four children: Bernard Theodore (Ted) and Michael Carver in Nigeria, Ellen Carole in Liberia, and Loren Henry in Lacombe, Alberta, during a furlough. Marilyn treasured these years as some of the happiest of her life.
Tragedy came unexpectedly when Henry passed away on August 14, 1964. With courage and determination, Marilyn began a new chapter, dedicating herself fully to teaching. Over the next several decades, she became a beloved teacher and mentor, shaping not only minds but lives. She taught at Canadian Union College, Okanagan Academy, Little Creek Academy, Upper Columbia Academy, Broadview Academy, and Weimar Academy, where she also served as principal. Marilyn had a remarkable gift for connecting with young people. Her classrooms were places of encouragement and genuine care. Even after retirement, she continued teaching at a community college, mentoring students, and serving as a school board chair.
In addition to her teaching career, Marilyn was a gifted editor and writer. She served as editor of Creation Illustrated magazine for 32 years and also edited Life Without Parole, a book written by a friend’s son who was in prison.
During her years at Little Creek Academy, Marilyn married Fred Morgan, an elementary school principal who shared her dedication to education and service. They later retired to Kettle Falls, Washington, where Marilyn remained actively involved in her church and community—volunteering, assisting with community meals, supporting local schools, serving on the school board, and tending community gardens. Fred passed away before her during their time there.
In her later years, Marilyn moved to Fletcher Park Inn in Hendersonville, North Carolina, where she spent the final three years of her life.
Marilyn is survived by her children: Loren Rieseberg, Ted Rieseberg, and Ellen Rieseberg Prest; eight grandchildren; and twelve great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband Henry, her second husband Fred Morgan, and her son Michael Carver Rieseberg.
Marilyn’s life was marked by faith, service, resilience, and love. Whether in the classroom, mission field, or community, she left a lasting imprint on the lives she touched. Her legacy lives on in the generations she taught, nurtured, and inspired.
Condolences may be sent to the Morgan family at www.jacksonfuneralservice.com or C/O Jackson Funeral Service 1101 Greenville Highway, Hendersonville, NC 28792. Please include the name of the deceased on the condolence.