Joseph R. Morgan

Former Cocoa Beach mayor Joe Morgan, a chatty history buff who was one of the beachside city's best-known residents, has passed away. Morgan, 77, died Sunday night at Dr. Jey Pillai Center for Hospice Care at Wasdin Woods in Rockledge after a long battle with cancer, said his sister, Alisann DelFavero. He moved to Cocoa Beach in 1960 and served as mayor from 1993-99. He was also a chairman of the Brevard County Historical Commission, and he performed marriage ceremonies for more than 100 Space Coast couples over roughly 30 years. ""Joe Morgan was known as the Cocoa Beach mayor for many, many years a�"" even after he hadn't been mayor for a long time. He had incredible reach in the community,"" said Melissa Byron, Cocoa Beach's economic development and marketing director. A memorial service takes place Sunday at Riverside Presbyterian Church in Cocoa Beach. Morgan is survived by DelFavero, eight nieces and nephews, and 22 great-nieces and great-nephews. ""He viewed them as his grandbabies,"" recalled his niece, Melissa Williams. ""He would love to go to the kids' schools and visit them in the classrooms a�"" he'd just pop up. ""The love he had for them, it was amazing. I wasn't his niece in his eyes. I was his kid,"" Williams said. Part of Morgan's family settled in Brevard County in 1880. During a December FLORIDA TODAY interview, he estimated he had 30 relatives in town. Morgan was born in Portsmouth, Ohio, and he grew up in Columbus and attended Ohio State University. DelFavero said Morgan moved to Cocoa Beach and joined other family members when their older brother, Tom, started working at Kennedy Space Center. ""I guess I've known Joe Morgan for more than 50 years. To me, Joe Morgan was a Cocoa Beach legend,"" said Jack King, Kennedy Space Center's first director of public affairs and the launch commentator for the Gemini and Apollo missions. Morgan's mother, Mary, founded Freedom 7 Community Center and he served as managing director. His brother, Tim, bought Alma's Seafood and Italian Restaurant in 1963, and Morgan and his family members worked there for decades. Page