June 1, 2007

On May 3, 2007, the College of Mathematics & Science acknowledged employment longevity and retirement of faculty and staff during a reception on the UCO campus.  Karen Starkey and Dr. Larry Morgan from the Department of Funeral Service Education were recognized for their years of service.

Karen Starkey is the department’s administrative secretary and has been employed with the University of Central Oklahoma for ten years.  Her first 4 ½ years were spent with computing services.  She had been with the Department of Funeral Service Education for the past 5 ½ years.

 Karen is a valued asset to the department and is appreciated for her organizational agility, intellectual horsepower, approachability, integrity and perspective.

Karen is an Edmond, Oklahoma native and has a Bachelor of Science degree for Oklahoma City University.  Karen also attended law school.

Larry Morgan joined the Funeral Service Education Department as an adjunct professor in 1974 and has been with us for 33 years. His areas of expertise are Oklahoma Statutory Law & Mortuary Jurisprudence.  Larry is highly respected in Oklahoma Funeral Service and is widely considered an expert in funeral service law in Oklahoma.

 He received his undergraduate and Juris Doctorate degrees from the University of Oklahoma and the University of Oklahoma School of Law, and practiced law in Oklahoma City with his father for 30 years, from 1973 until his father’s death in 2003.  Larry continues to practice law under the name of Morgan and Morgan.

 He has been married to his wife, Christine, for over 32 years.  They have three children and one grandchild.

Due to his length of time as an adjunct professor, he has taught first and second generation funeral directors, having taught their mothers and fathers and now their children.  Larry loves to teach law to our future Oklahoma funeral directors and embalmers.  Larry has said on numerous occasions that he would teach even if he wasn’t paid.  You could say that teaching is Larry’s hobby.