Florence, SC Jesse Dean Morgan, 95, of the Methodist Manor of Florence, SC, went to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on Wednesday, December 3, 2014, at McLeod Hospital. Mr. Morgan was born in the Hannah Community of Florence County, the 3rd of 4 children to the late Gordon William and Idean Poston Morgan. They were a farming family. Jesse's father passed away when he was 4 years old, so he was reared by his mother. He is predeceased by his parents; his wife of 52 years, Jessene Locklair Morgan; three brothers, Robert L. Morgan, Arris Morgan and Furman Morgan. Times were hard during the Great Depression. He attended and graduated from public school in the Hannah community. Jesse enlisted into the US Army, his mother having to sign for him due to his age. He was stationed at Fort Sill in Oklahoma when Pearl Harbor was bombed and was then deployed to the Pacific and served two tours. He was awarded the Bronze Star. After serving his country, he went to work for GE in Jacksonville. Jesse came back to visit his family in the Florence area and he met the love of his life, his late wife, Jessene, on a blind date. He and Jessene married and lived in Jacksonville for a time. After 8 years of marriage, he and Jessene adopted a baby girl in 1956. They moved back to Florence and he joined his brother, Arris, in his business, Morgan's Refrigeration. Upon his brother's death, Jesse carried on the business. As the marketplace changed, he added restaurant equipment, supplies and service and changed the name to Florence Restaurant Supply. In 1950, they joined St. Paul UMC of Florence. He was church treasurer when their sanctuary was built. Jesse always said that St. Paul was built with many BBQ dinners! In Jesse's own words, "At a time during the 1960's, the Power of the Holy Spirit came upon me and my life was changed forever". Jesse was one of the teachers for the Jimmy McNair Sunday school class for as long as he was able. He started a prison ministry at St. Paul, and worked with men at Palmer Prerelease Center in Florence. He was a member of the Full Gospel Businessmen's Fellowship, the Exchange Club, and was a lifelong member of Amity Masonic Lodge #340. He served as a Poll worker at the Delmae precinct for years. In 1967, while celebrating Christmas with his sister, Amanda, in Florida, he was offered the opportunity of buying mountain property in Marshall, NC. He and Jessene bought 3 acres and visited the mountain, Secluded Valley (God's Country) in 1968, the weekend of Martin Luther King Jr's death. He and his daughter, Gloria, got their first look as they rode up the mountain on the Catepillar. They picked out their spot (nicknamed Bear Hollow) and later built their house. They started attending Payne's Chapel when they were there. He served on the board of directors of Secluded Valley and as its President for a while. His business in Florence prospered, and then Florence had an urban renewal project that included his location on East Evans Street and he had to relocate. He chose to build the building on Meadors Farm Road. This was a hard undertaking, yet God prospered him. He joined a new purchasing group, NAFED and later served as their treasurer. He sold FRS, but stayed with the buying group until his retirement in 1996. They sold their home and moved to Annelle Drive in Florence. He wasn't really ready to quit working, so he and Jessene started helping their daughter and son-in-law with their peanut buying station in Mars Bluff. Jesse became known as the "Peanut Man". Grandchildren came into Jesse and Jessene's lives during the 70's. He dearly loved spending time with his "girls" and they became Poppa and Nana. Great grandchildren started arriving into their lives in early 2001 and were such a blessing to them. They never thought they would have children or live to see grandchildren, much less great grandchildren. They had always made their home available to nieces, nephews and friends. They "parented" and mentored many. Jesse lost his beloved Jessene to cancer in May of 2001, after 52 years of marriage. This was a very bad time for him, but he knew she was waiting for him in heaven. He continued to support missionaries and evangelical concerns for as long as he could. He moved to the Methodist Manor of the Pee Dee. Jesse suffered with some illnesses for a long time, but when he went home to Jesus, it was quick, sure and without any apparent pain. A touch of pneumonia (the old man's friend) opened the door. He had celebrated an enjoyable Thanksgiving with his family. On the following Monday, he called his daughter and asked to go to the hospital and she took him to McLeod. A close family "daughter", Ginny, a nurse who works there kept checking on him. On the day of his death, his nephew, Bobby Morgan, was by his side, McLeod Chaplin Rev. Barr prayed with him, Rev. Gerald Truluck, the Fore's pastor, came in and prayed with him. Dr. Jebaily, Bobby, Gayle and Gloria sang a chorus of "I'll Fly Away" and his granddaughter Amanda arrived. He took his last breath, on his own, and went peacefully home to be with Jesus. He is survived by his daughter, Gloria Dean Morgan (Thomas) Fore of Florence; granddaughters, Amanda Fore (Curt) Nellis of Florence, Sarah Fore (Tim) McAlexander of Ellston, Iowa; great grandchildren, Hunter Bourne, Thomas Bourne, Penelope Nellis and Caroline Morgan McAlexander; a sister, Amanda Hagan of France; and a number of beloved nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends at Cain Funeral Home on Saturday, December 6, from 4:00 until 6:00 PM. A Celebration of Life service will be held on Sunday, December 7, 2014, at 1:30 PM at St. Paul UMC. Interment will follow at Poston-Coleman Cemetery in Pamplico, SC. Memorials may be made to the Neil and Mandy Morgan Mission Fund or Susan Swells McGee and John Mission Fund c/o St. Paul UMC or the Quinby UMC Youth Fund.