OXFORD — Susanne Dugger Morgan, 82, died Sunday, July 2, 2017, at her home in Oxford.

She was born in 1934 in Amory, Mississippi, to the late Andral Forrest Dugger and Beatrice Tubb Dugger. She was preceded in death by her husband, Col. Ira L. “Shine” Morgan Jr., originally of Oxford, and her brother, Dr. Andral Forrest Dugger of Banning, California.

Susanne grew up in Amory, Picayune and Jackson, Mississippi. She was a proud alumna of the University of Mississippi where she was active in her sorority, Chi Omega. She was selected as Miss University during the 1953-54 school year and went on to become Miss Mississippi. She competed in the Miss America pageant in 1954 and was selected as the third alternate.

She married then-U.S. Marine Capt. Shine Morgan, and she supported her husband throughout his 30-year career as a Marine Corps fighter pilot. In addition to numerous assignments, moves and Marine Corps adventures, she raised three children, actively participated in civic and military organizations. Always one to rise to the top in her professional life, she served as an executive assistant to Walt Disney in Anaheim, California, the chief engineer of Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel in Virginia, the Finish ambassador to the United States in Washington, D.C., and the managing partner of the Hill and Barlow Law Firm in Boston.

Shine and Susanne moved to the Boston area in 1980, and upon retirement in 1990, they relocated to Biloxi, Mississippi, where they made their home until Shine’s passing in 2001. Susanne remained in Biloxi until her evacuation from Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. Ever the resilient Marine Corps wife, Susanne returned to Biloxi in 2006, and built a new home in 2008. She moved to Oxford in 2011.

She is survived by her three children, Ira L. “Shine” Morgan III (Elva) of Plano, Texas, Martha Morgan Scott (Jon) of Oxford, and Col. William F. “Bill” Morgan (Colleen) of New Orleans. She was also the grandmother of six (Morgan Sofia, Jon, Lucie, Emma, Ellen and Avery (Matt) and great-grandmother of Lilly.

Susanne’s family also wishes to express its gratitude and love to her caregiver of two years, Katherine Smith Sisk.

A remembrance celebration service will be held in West Hall at Waller Funeral Home in Oxford, from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, July 6, 2017, for family and friends. A private graveside service will be held at the National Cemetery in Biloxi where she will be laid to rest next to her husband.

Memorials in Mrs. Morgan’s memory may be made to the Memory Makers of Oxford c/o Respite Day Services of Oxford, Inc., 311 Heritage Drive, Oxford MS 38655 or Mississippi Alzheimer’s Association, 196 Charmant Place, Suite 4, Ridgeland, MS 39157.

For additional information or to sign an online guestbook, please visit www.wallerfuneralhome.com or call 662-234-7971.