4/5/2021 1:53:00 PM
John Ralph Morsch
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John Ralph Morsch of Ninety Six, South Carolina, a former resident of Weedsport, Cayuga, New York, and Rotonda West, Florida, died on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at the age of 96. John was residing with his daughter, Mary Anne (Red) and son-in-law, Karl Miller.
John was born in Springwater, New York, on Sept. 12, 1924, to John and Anna Morsch. He graduated from Wayland High School in 1942, and enlisted in the Navy in 1943. John served as a Radioman on the Destroyer USS Greene and the Battleship USS Arkansas seeing action in North Africa, the Invasion of Normandy and the South Pacific.
Upon Honorable discharge from the Navy, John returned to New York where he graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Physical Education. While at Ithaca, John was on the cross country and track teams where he led the 1948 track team to an undefeated season. He married Mary Regina Hope in July of 1950 and they moved to Sherrill, New York where they both taught for one year. In 1951, he continued his teaching career at Weedsport Central School. John was a respected Physical Education teacher, coach, and athletic director for 30 years. During his tenure, he started the boys' track, cross country, and golf teams. His football teams were 39-13 including undefeated county championships in 1955 and 1959. John's basketball teams won five county championships and a sectional championship during his fourteen years
as basketball coach. In his coaching career, his teams posted a 291-158 record for a 65% winning percentage. John was inducted into the Weedsport Central School Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.
After retiring, John and Mary moved to Englewood, Florida. John was an active member of Saint Francis of Assisi Church, where he served as an usher at weekly Masses. John was also a member of the Rotonda Golf and Country Club, Knights of Columbus and the American Legion, Post 113, Rotonda West, Florida.
John was an avid sports enthusiast. He enjoyed playing golf into his early 90's. He was a beloved fan of the Boston Celtics, Syracuse University basketball and the New York Yankees. Throughout the years, John enjoyed many family "Gatherings" playing endless games of Pitch with his daughters and basketball with his grandchildren.
John was predeceased by his parents, John and Anna Morsch, his sisters, Dolores Mooney and Loretta McCarthy, his wife of thirty-nine years, Mary R. Morsch and his second wife, Frances B. Morsch.
John is survived by his sister, Jane Paine; daughters Margaret (Edwin) Saeger, Mary Anne (Karl) Miller, and Martha (Steven) Hart; step-daughters Cynthia Vernon, and Sandra Farr; grandchildren Jennifer (Bernard) Killelea, John (Janet) Saeger, Michael (Tericka) Miller, Kyle Miller, Kevin Hart and Connor Hart; and great-grandchildren, Daniel and Joshua Killelea.
A memorial Mass will be held at Saint Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church in Grove City, Florida on April 21, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, Memorial donations may be sent to Hospice & Palliative Care of the Piedmont, 408 West Alexander, Greenwood, SC 29646.
MEMORIAL EVENTS
April 21,2021, 9:30a.m.
Memorial Mass
Saint Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church, Grove City, Florida
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