Mr. Tommy O. Morgan

Tommy Oscar Morgan, age 91, of Conyers, Ga., passed away Sunday, March 30, 2025. He was born on May 27, 1933, in Valdosta, Ga., one of three sons of Lee Earl Morgan and Viola Hansen Morgan Shroyer.

After the untimely death of their father in 1939, Tommy and his brothers, Earl and Jimmy, became residents at The Methodist Home for Children and Youth in Macon, Ga., for several years. At age 17, Tommy Morgan enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving as a submarine torpedoman, also serving aboard the U.S.S. Yorktown aircraft carrier and a destroyer, and completing a tour of duty in Japan.

After his honorable discharge from the Navy, Mr. Morgan enrolled as a student at Valdosta State College (now University) where he met his bride-to-be, Caroline House. Tommy and Caroline were wed in Valdosta on Christmas Eve, 1956, and shortly thereafter relocated to Conyers, Ga., where they would both make their home for the rest of their lives.

After moving to Conyers, Tommy attended Georgia State University and worked first for a local salvage company, then for the Mid-Georgia Natural Gas Co., and then became the first city manager for the City of Conyers. In the early 1970s, Tommy entered a business partnership with Wayne King of Decatur, overseeing King Pipeline and Utilities Supply Company. Tommy served as president of the growing waterworks supply business as it relocated from Decatur to Conyers and then opened a second location in Smyrna, Tenn.

While serving as Conyers city manager, Mr. Morgan became a volunteer firefighter, a vocation that would blossom into a full-time career in fire service leadership coinciding with the rapid population growth of Conyers and Rockdale County. Serving first as Fire Chief for the City of Conyers, then for Rockdale County, and then for the consolidated Rockdale County Fire Department, Chief Morgan worked tirelessly for vast improvements over four decades in firefighter training and qualifications, fire safety and prevention equipment and facilities, and disaster and hazardous materials response. Chief Morgan also championed improvements in lifesaving techniques and emergency medical services, including introducing through former State Senator Jeff Mullis the bill to establish a 911 emergency call system throughout Georgia. Chief Morgan also advocated for other legislation to benefit public safety as well as firefighters and their families and served for six years as a member of the Georgia Public Safety Council. In addition, Chief Morgan provided leadership in statewide, southeastern, and international Firefighters and Fire Chiefs associations.

Mr. Morgan was a dedicated follower of Jesus Christ and a longtime member of Conyers First United Methodist Church, faithfully supporting its ministries with his prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness by serving and leading in various positions of Christian responsibility within the local congregation and beyond.

Mr. Morgan also provided service and leadership to various civic and community organizations, including United Way, the Conyers-Rockdale Chamber of Commerce, the Rockdale Historical Society, Walk of Heroes Veterans Memorial Park, the Robert L. Moore Disciple House, and Rotary International, receiving the Guardian of Ethics award from the Conyers Rotary Club.

Tommy Morgan was a devoted husband to Caroline, his wife of 56 years; a kind and loving father to his children and their spouses, Mike and Karen Morgan, and Mollie and Bart Roberts; and a wonderful "Grandaddy Chief" to his grandchildren and their spouses, Thomas and Sara Morgan, Daniel and Erica Morgan, Morgan and Shane Corbett, Savannah and Quinton Upshaw, and Leif and Elizabeth Roberts; as well as to his great-grandchildren, Mina Morgan, Oscar Corbett, Essie Corbett, Sawyer Upshaw, and Sallie Upshaw.

Following Caroline's death in 2013, Tommy married Donna Johnson Maley at Conyers First United Methodist Church on March 1, 2014, extending his love to Donna's children and their spouses, Mike and Steph Maley, Dan and Amy Maley, Tim and Wendy Maley, and Ben and Andrea Maley; and becoming "Grandaddy Chief" to her grandchildren and their spouses, Sean Maley, Josh Maley, Jose and Meghan Maley, Bill Maley, Ellie Maley, Quincy Maley, Haley and Jose Salazar, Eli Maley, and Owen Maley.

In retirement, Tommy and Donna Morgan enjoyed working together as active servant-leaders in their church and community.

A service of worship celebrating the life of Tommy O. Morgan will be held on Saturday, April 19, at 11 a.m., at Conyers First Methodist Church, 921 N. Main Street, NW, Conyers, GA 30012. Visitation will precede the service from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and a reception in the Fellowship Hall will follow the service at 12 p.m. Interment will take place later at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton and Sunset Hill Cemetery in Valdosta.

Contributions may be made in memory of Tommy Morgan to the Robert L. Moore Disciple House, Inc. 612 Fleeting Court, Monroe, GA 30655 or make a check out to Disciple House and send it to Conyers First Methodist Church, 912 N. Main Street, NW, Conyers, GA 30012. Condolences may be submitted online at www.scotward.com. Scot Ward Funeral Services, 699 American Legion Rd., Conyers, GA, 770-483-7216.