Dr. William F. Morgan (Bill) died Friday evening November 13, 2015. Bill was born and raised in Christchurch, New Zealand the oldest of four children and was the only one of his family to get a college degree. His mother described him as her right hand and the helper of the family. As a boy he cultivated and developed many of the traits for which we all loved him. A great accomplishment for Bill was to make someone laugh. His keen sense of humor, part of his early childhood, stayed with him throughout his life. He was well organized, never seemed to forget a face, he knew and loved everyone. His ex-wife Rosemary Wong and children Michelle and Nicholas Morgan recalled the fun they had growing up with Bill and the vacations at Copperopolis, CA where they had a cabin. Many hours were invested in their development, watching them become black belts in Tae Kwon Do, camping, fishing for blue gills, playing board games (his favorite was cribbage) and working in the garden. Bill worked in the Christchurch botanical garden and developed a lifelong love of roses, orchids, and air plants. His passion for collecting fossils was stimulated by Dr. Larry Thompson, and Bill had a wonderful collection in his home. He was a huge sports fan, played rugby, was an avid swimmer and liked golf. He still thought that the New Zealand All Blacks were the best in the world. He changed to American football and would spend many a week end watching the San Francisco 49ers and later the Baltimore Ravens.
He started his scientific studies in botany, moved on to cytogenetics for his PhD and became world famous for his research in radiation biology. His move from New Zealand to Shelly Wolff’s laboratory in San Francisco was important. It was here where he, Jeff Schwartz, John Murnane, and Bill Kaufmann (the four RADS) helped launch a special era of radiation biology. His bench science provided him with an extensive background (more than 200 open literature publications), making him extremely valuable in reviewing and providing scientific insights. He served on many important national and international committees that had input in setting standards and limiting radiation exposure. His wife, Marianne Sowa, and daughter, Leyla Resat, shared his companionship and love of academics. Leyla developed into a concert level pianist and would challenge Bill with her need to practice for perfection. They have both played an important role in supporting his scientific achievements and his service to the scientific community. His accomplishments, service and interactions are too numerous to fully list. A few highlights include membership on the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, International Commission on Radiological Protection, and United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. He held a DSc from Canterbury University and was an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In the scientific community, Bill had a special gift for interacting with and promoting those with whom he worked. Each of us felt we were his best friend and we can all recount times that he helped us to gain special recognition, advance our careers, and encouraged us to be our best.
Although, Bill’s science and his important contributions will live on, there will always be an empty spot in the hearts and lives of all those that knew and loved him.