With the loss of Stan Morgan, the Midlothian community lost a beloved former teacher, coach, and friend to many. On Thursday November 9, 2023, Morgan passed away at St. Francis hospital due to medical complications. Morgan began teaching at Midlo in 1987 and made connections with the students and staff that would last a lifetime.
When asked about his impact on the Midlo Community, Shawn Abel, the current principal of Midlothian High School, said, “I just think he became a staple at Midlo. He just was a staple in that he impacted so many students by working with them through teaching indoor, outdoor track and cross country all the way up to the age of around 82.”
Morgan started his Midlothian coaching career in 1987 working as the assistant coach for Trojans football and outdoor track teams. After Dick Overton, Morgan’s longtime best friend retired, he took over as head coach for Trojan’s cross country. Morgan led the team to various state champions.
Many said that Morgan could come across as intense or gruff, but this was in order to push his athletes to their fullest potential and to help them achieve their goals. “He just loved the kids. He would talk to them, and really try to get the most out of each. I really think that was his strong point. He had an ability to see that they had more to give than they were doing. I think each kid ended up trying to do better for him, because they wanted to please him. I think he was a good coach, and he just understood them.” Overton said.
Even after retiring, Morgan continued to come in and help with cross country and track events, as well as come into the school and visit his former students and staff. “I think he had blue and gold in his blood!” Overton said. Along with making an impact on students and athletes, Morgan also played a big role in clearing and maintaining the paths at Pocahontas State Park. He made sure the runners had clear, safe paths to run on. He had so much of an impact there that the Pocahontas director named a trail in honor of him and the work he did.
Stan Morgan will be greatly missed by students, athletes, and many others in the Midlo community. His impressive achievements and relationships he created during his life will keep his memory for years to come. As his long time friend Dick Overton said, “He was a really good friend. If you got to know Stan, you had a good friend.”
