HUDSON FALLS – Erika U. Morgan, 77, passed away peacefully on, November 19, 2014, in the loving arms of her family.
Erika was born May 28,1937 in Ohlau, Germany. She was the daughter of Anna Handrischik and Paul Schudy.
Erika was married for thirty years to Richard D. Morgan (Locksmith). Together they had 8 children. Erika came to America in 1963 with three small children and pregnant for the fourth. Shortly after her arrival our father left for Vietnam. Alone in America, she taught herself English through watching the Mickey Mouse Club. Our mother picked apples as a field worker in her early years to provide for her family while our father served our country. Her wish for a son was granted by a pair of twin boys following 5 girls. At that time 4 or 5 other sets of twins were born within days of each other. Those mothers all got together and formed the Tri County Mother of Twins Club to which our mother was a founding member. Last was the birth of her third son of which our mother referred to as her “encore performance”.
Our mother spent most of her life, as she put it, “married to the phone” as she ran our father’s locksmith business. She somehow found the time to coach our softball team “Morgan’s Angel’s”, run a paper route with us, den mother for the boy’s Cub Scouts, transport the twins to violin & cello lessons, and travel with 8 children all over the state for track and field competitions. Our mother took great pride that the 8 of us were so well behaved she could take us anywhere.
Our mother was also a great neighborhood mother. She mentored many children. She gave money for good report cards, lost teeth, and haircuts regardless of who you belonged to. She was known to play a hot summer night of hide and seek with the neighborhood, or an illegal pool hopping, cabbage night egging , or fireworks in the driveway. She was known to use our father’s credit card to buy a washer or dryer for a less fortunate neighbor. She maintained the elderly neighbor’s sidewalks and driveways for over 40 years. Right up until her 70’s she mowed lawns, shoveled snow, and split firewood with an axe.
She believed in honesty above all else. Pride, respect, and hard work was instilled in all of us. She made our lives fun. We would draw chores out of hat hoping we would be the one to draw the “free pass”. She bought tickets to every play, rock show, kung foo fight, or acrobatic display the 8 of us kids would perform on a rainy days. She assisted in building the carnival booths for the neighborhood fair, fixed bikes for neighborhood kids who did not have one, and put together “care packages” of food for the neighbors who struggled to feed their children. Our mother touched many lives and she will live on through the 8 of us and our memories of the wonderful times we shared with her.
In addition to her parents, Erika was predeceased by her husband Richard D. Morgan and daughter Ursula E. Morgan. Two brothers Manfred Schudy, Erwin Schudy and a sister Sr. M. Pelagia Edletraud Schudy.
Erika is survived by her 7 remaining children, Daniel and Linda (Morgan) Tallman, Scott and Meiki (Morgan) Case, Jesse Fish and Ingrid Morgan, Randy and Heidi (Morgan) Mechanick, Robert and Carrianne Morgan, Norbert Morgan, Paul and Caitlin Morgan. Loving grandchildren and great grandchildren Daniel and Samantha Tallman, Erik Tallman, Everett Voorhis and Laura Sexton, Emily Morgan, Phillip and Casey Mechanick, Alex, Lilly, and Natalie Mechanick, Katie Mechanick and Owen Hermey, Paul Mechanick and Rylee Williams, Kristian Mechanick, Jacob Durkin, Megan Durkin, and Hudson Morgan.
Calling hours will be held at Carleton Funeral Home from 1 pm to 3pm on Sunday November 23, 2014.
A celebration of Erika’s life will be held at the American Legion on Pearl Street in Hudson Falls at 4pm following her calling hours.
