Lucious Alfred “Frog” Morlan, 88, passed away June 23, 2009. He was born Aug. 18, 1920, in Birdsong to Oda and Emma (Ellerman) Morlan, the fourth of 11 children.
He was united in marriage to Ardath McWilliams on March 23, 1940. To this union two sons were born, Ed and Kent. He served in the Civilian Conservation Camp in 1938 and in the Navy from March 3, 1944, to Jan. 7, 1946, aboard the USS West Virginia. Frog operated Morlan’s Service Station for 30 years and he and his wife built the El Dorado Motel in 1958. He served on the El Dorado Springs School Board for eight years. He was elected Sheriff of Cedar County in 1976 and served eight years before retiring to raise cattle on the farm near Filley.
Frog was exceptionally strong and energetic - baling 931 large bales of hay in 2008. He was always on a quest for a better birddog or quarter horse and still owned his last horse, Peppy. Frog was a 56 year member of Clintonville Lodge #482.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and siblings: Herman, Jewell Burns, Olen, Dorothy Root, Velma Burns and Melba.
Survivors include his wife, Ardath, of the home; two sons, Ed and wife, Sherry -El Dorado Springs, and Kent and wife, Terrie - Tulsa, OK; grandsons, York - Blue Springs, and Tad - Springfield; great grandsons, Jacob and Caleb Morlan; and great granddaughter, Lauren Hurlburt; sisters - Cloe Brandom - Stockton, Francis Pinkman - El Dorado Springs, and Maybelle Preston - Joplin; one brother, Delbert - El Dorado Springs; and many nieces, nephews and friends.
Services were held Saturday, June 27, in Sheldon Funeral Home with Rev. Brent Bland officiating and Kent Morlan providing the eulogy. Pianist Barry Witt played “Amazing Grace” and “How Great Thou Art.” Clintonville Lodge #482 provided Masonic Services. VFW Post #257 provided the military services. Casketbearers were Jacob Morlan, Larry Burns, Ralph Burns, Ron Pinkman, John Bruce and Loyd Burns.
Interment was in Clintonville Cemetery under the direction of Sheldon Funeral Home, El Dorado Springs.
