LtCol Morgan Glen Williams

LtCol Morgan Glen Williams, 93, died October 5, 2023, at Harlingen Medical Center in Harlingen, Texas. He was born in a log cabin on April 7, 1930, near Williams, Lake of the Woods County, in far northern Minnesota to Morgan and Eva Henry Williams. His father was an emigrant from Wales in 1912. Glen graduated from Williams High School in 1947 with honors after attending a one-room schoolhouse through the eighth grade. He grew up working on the family seed potato and dairy farm. He also held jobs as a logger, an electrician, a mink trapper, a Minnesota dairy cow tester, a plumber, a gas station attendant, a maker of fence posts, and he installed poles for the power lines.

Glen was drafted into the Korean War in 1951, despite having had polio when he was 5. He was sent to the Kum Wah area in North Korea in 1951-52 and was in the 25th Infantry Division of the Army. He became a Sgt and manned the recoilless rifle, and he also received the U.S. Army Infantryman Combat badge.

In 1956, Glen joined the Air Force and was sent to Navigator’s Training at Harlingen Air Force Base. He attended church in Rio Hondo where he met Julia Ella Bishop. After courting her for a year, they were married on December 29, 1957. Through the years, Glen lived in Minnesota, Kansas, North Korea, Japan, Texas, Nebraska, California, South Dakota, Utah, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Viet Nam; and he traveled all over the world. In Utah, he earned his degree in meteorology with honors. Then later he was sent to Texas A&M for an advanced degree in micro-meteorology.

While stationed in California, Glen flew as a navigator-meteorologist, flying into nuclear clouds and taking air samples to be tested. In Viet Nam, he was the back-seater in the F-4 jet. On one flight a missile hit the plane, destroying the pilot’s instrument panel. Glen was able to take the plane to the base in Udorn, Thailand, thus earning a Distinguished Flying Cross and saving their lives. His last assignment was in Global Weather at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska.

After 29 years of military service, Glen and his family moved back to Rio Hondo, Texas, and Glen and Julia began teaching. Glen taught math and science at Coakley and Rio Hondo Middle Schools, TSTI, and South Texas High School for Health Professions. When the Science Academy opened, Glen established the Physics Department and taught there for a number of years.

Glen was active in Baptist churches wherever he lived – teaching classes, serving as a deacon and on committees.

Morgan Glen was preceded in death by his parents, his infant son, Nathan Elwyn Williams, and two siblings, Donna Williams Brunner and Wesley Williams. He is survived by his wife of over 65 years, Julia Ella Bishop Williams, and his three children – Karl Morgan Williams (Jan), Berney Alfred Williams (Jane), and Rebecca Williams Ysaguirre (David). He leaves 9 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and another on the way. He also leaves three siblings, Duane Williams (Helen), Bill Williams (Karyl), and Lois Ann Hall (Charles), and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

He was a wonderful man who loved our God, our country, and our family.

The Williams Family will receive friends and relatives Thursday, October 12, 2023 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Buck Ashcraft San Benito Funeral Home. A graveside service will be on Friday, October 13, 2023 at 9:00 am at Mont Meta Memorial Park in San Benito, Texas. A memorial  service to follow at 11:00 am at Calvary Baptist Church in Harlingen, Texas.