Dr. Morgan R. Rees

Morgan Rowlands (“Moe”) Rees, 85, of Tiffin, Ohio, passed away peacefully on September 10, 2025, at Courtyard Assisted Living in Tiffin, following a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Born on January 17, 1940, in Kingston, Pennsylvania, Morgan was the second of four children of William and Anne (Mericle) Rees. He was active in multiple sports and in the Westmoor Church of Christ and graduated from Kingston High School in 1957 with high marks and numerous athletic achievements.

Morgan was recruited as a multi-sport athlete by Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Massachusetts, one of the nation’s leading undergraduate engineering schools. At WPI, he served as captain of three sports and earned 11 varsity letters.

As player-coach of the WPI wrestling team, Morgan helped establish and grow a major athletic program. He became WPI’s first All-New England wrestler in 1959 and won the New England championship in 1961, concluding his career with a 23–3 dual meet record. He earned four varsity letters in football and co-captained the 1960 team, tying for the lead in scoring. Playing both offensive and defensive end, his versatility on the field matched his leadership off it. Morgan’s athletic accomplishments also extended to the WPI track team, where he excelled as a high hurdler despite his shorter stature that required an occasional extra stride — a fact about which he was very proud.

Beyond athletics, Morgan was deeply involved in WPI campus life. He served as chairman of the Student Council and the Council of Presidents, president of the Athletic Association, a dormitory counselor, and was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon and The Skull Society.

He earned his BS in Civil Engineering in 1961 and remained a lifelong supporter of WPI athletics. In 1984, he was inducted into the second class of the WPI Athletic Hall of Fame, honoring his exceptional achievements and leadership. In 2011 WPI presented him with the Herbert F. Taylor Award for Distinguished Alumni Service.

Following his ROTC training as a WPI undergrad, Morgan served as a First Lieutenant and Microwave Radio Officer in the U.S. Army Signal Corps. He trained at Fort Lewis in Washington and was deployed to Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos to install communications systems. After completing two years of active duty, he worked for three years as an Appraisal Engineer for American Appraisal Corp in New York City, living on Long Island.

In 1965, he married his college sweetheart, Janet Marsello. He returned to Worcester with his new bride and worked as a Hydraulic Research Engineer and completed a master's degree in civil engineering at WPI. He was especially proud of his thesis project, which involved building a wave machine for studying ocean fluid dynamics.

In 1968, Morgan and Janet welcomed their only child, Brad.

Morgan continued his government service with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a project planner for the New England Division, overseeing water resource development projects such as navigation channel improvements and beach erosion stabilization. He was promoted to Regulatory Branch Chief, managing wetlands, rivers, and harbor permits across six New England states.

Morgan moved to Washington, D.C. at the start of the Reagan Administration to serve as Chief of the Policy Section of the Regulatory Branch at Corps headquarters. He was responsible for implementing nationwide policies and regulations for wetlands, rivers, and harbors permits. He was soon promoted to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works) at the Pentagon, where he developed federal water resource management regulations and policies.

Morgan then served for nine years as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Policy and Legislation—the highest level of civilian government service not requiring Presidential appointment and Senate confirmation. In this role, he oversaw broad program and policy development, environmental and regulatory programs, legislative affairs, and interagency and international relations for the Army Corps of Engineers. His work brought him into regular contact with members of Congress, governors, cabinet officials, and private sector leaders.

In the final years of his government career, Morgan earned both master’s and doctorate degrees in Public Administration from the University of Southern California’s Washington Public Affairs Center. His doctoral dissertation, The Role of the Career Executive in the Legislative Policy Process, reflected his deep commitment to public service.

Morgan retired from government service in 1995. He was twice honored with the President’s Meritorious Executive Service Award and achieved the Senior Executive Service rank of EX-V, the highest possible civilian rank.

In retirement, he launched a private consulting practice, advising individuals, companies, and nonfederal agencies on environmental analysis, permitting, water resource project development, port planning and dredged material disposal. With his daughter-in-law Ali working with him, he spent two decades serving the Georgia Ports Authority and other entities nationwide on major channel deepening and expansion projects.

Throughout his career, Morgan was known for his ability to mediate and negotiate among competing interests. His rare combination of intellect, sensitivity, pragmatism, composure, and integrity made him a masterful diplomat and peacemaker—often the one person who could guide diverse voices toward compromise.

In retirement Morgan had homes in Tiffin Oh., Naples Fl., Worcester and West Harwich Ma., enthusiastically embracing his role of Grandad to Noah and Brynn with games of pool and croquet, trips to Disney World and attending Red Sox games around the country.

Morgan remained active throughout his life, enjoying running, golf, and the occasional pickup softball game. He was also deeply involved in church life, having grown up in the Disciples of Christ denomination and later serving as a longtime member of the Episcopal Church. He was affiliated with St. Luke’s (Worcester, Ma.), Christ Church (Alexandria, Va.), Old Trinity (Tiffin, Oh.), and St. Paul’s (Naples, Fl.).

He passed quietly with his wife, son, sister and nieces at his side.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Janet; son Brad; grandchildren Noah and Brynn; sister Meg; nieces and nephews Diane, David, Megan, Becky, and Matt; daughter-in-law Ali, and a large and loving extended family. He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Anne, and brothers Dave and Rick.

Memorial services will be held at Old Trinity Episcopal Church in Tiffin OH on Monday, Sept. 29, at 3pm; at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Worcester MA on Friday, Oct. 10, at 2pm; and at his sister’s residence in Dupont PA on Sunday, Oct. 12, at 2pm.

Donations in Morgan’s memory may be made to the Morgan & Janet Rees Scholarship Fund at WPI.

Arrangements have been entrusted to TRAUNERO FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATORY, 214 S. Monroe St., Tiffin, Ohio 44883 (419)447-3113.

To send condolences go to www.traunerofuneralhome.com