Merced Morales

September 24, 1934 – June 26, 2022

Merced Morales (Merna, Merni, Merci, Moose) loving husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, and brother passed away on June 26, 2022, at the age of 87.

Merced is survived by his wife of 64 years, Ida Mae Morales, their five children: Kathleen Morales, Danny (Liz) Morales, Steve (Michelle) Morales, Jimbo (Terri) Morales, and Lisa (Robert) Matzie, their 7 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren. Born to Guadalupe & Maria, Merced was the second of nine children and was raised in Lompoc to be a member of the first Hispanic family that drove a mule and plow in Bodgers Seeds fields.

At age 21, Merced joined the U.S. Air Force where the bulk of his service would be in the islands of Japan. While stationed in Kingman, AZ, for the 659th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron, he met his wife, Ida Mae Scott.

While raising a family and working full time at Johns-Manville Mine as a General Foreman, Merced went to night school and graduated with an AA and BA in Business Management from Chapman University.

Merced had a passion for plants, nature, horticulture (reflected in the eight Beautification Awards he obtained for his house landscape), sharing memories, giving nicknames to everyone, and sharing jokes. He took great pride and joy in raising his family and being a friend to all he met. Merced loved reading and teaching from the bible, camping, swimming in oceans or rivers, hunting, fishing, and family BBQs. He was a strong man inside and out, he was smart, quick-minded, quick to smile and laugh, always sought fairness & forgiveness, and had an amazing sense of humor. Merced set the example of how to be a loving and kind person. He will be heavily missed and will be remembered with only fond and happy memories.

Memorial Service will take place on July 16, 2022, at 1pm and held at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Lompoc, California at 705 North 4th Street.