John Duane Morningred, of Wilmington, Delaware, passed away on October 20, 2025 to lie in rest with our Lord.

Duane was born in Tyrone, Pennsylvania, to Mildred Anne (Heverly) and Charles John Morningred on August 21, 1935. His life was defined by his faith, family, friends and dedication to education.

He attended St. Matthew's Parochial School (Class of 1949) and graduated from Augustinian Academy in Staten Island, New York, in 1953. Duane earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Villanova University in 1958 and a master's degree in education, specializing in secondary mathematics, from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1967.

Duane had just begun his career teaching Latin and English at Tyrone Area High School when he met his wife, Katherine "Kitty" Louise Moser, a local nurse. The two were immediately enamored with each other-Kitty's artistic creativity complementing Duane's analytical and inquisitive nature. They were married on August 8, 1959, in Bellwood, Pennsylvania.

In 1963, Duane accepted a teaching position at Conrad High School to teach mathematics in Wilmington, Delaware. There, he would go on to become one of the first teachers in Delaware to teach computer science and eventually serve as assistant principal. His leadership in education continued as assistant principal at Wilmington High School and later  at Glasgow High School, where he retired after a long and dedicated career.

Duane was a man of diverse and well-rounded interests. He enjoyed photography, model trains, gardening and playing in the snow, and was remarkably resourceful, even building an addition to his family home himself. As a student, Duane sang in the choir, acted in school plays, wrote for the newspaper, and played football, basketball, and baseball. As a teacher, he worked on the stage crew building sets for the school plays and he coached football, serving as assistant coach to Conrad High School's football team during its undefeated 1969 season.

Duane approached life with a good-natured exuberance and a generous spirit. He was a longtime parishioner of St. John the Beloved Catholic Church in Wilmington and he and his wife, Kitty, were daily Mass attendees until their health started to fail them. He volunteered frequently at church, helping to start the CCD (religious education) program at St. John the Beloved.  He was a Lector, Eucharistic Minister, Money Counter Team Leader, and a member of the Knights of Columbus, where he volunteered whenever needed, whether setting up for Fish Fry dinners during Lent, directing parking for the parish carnival or University of Delaware football games, or helping with any task that required an extra hand. He was known, loved, and trusted within the parish community, so much so that in 2015 he was awarded the Order of Merit Award by the Diocese of Wilmington.

His deep faith was a constant guiding force, both in larger decisions and in the approach he took to each day. Even in the last years of his life, as he faced severe pain, Duane kept a sunny outlook and never complained. He continued to thank our good Lord daily for the life that had been given to him.

Duane is survived by his wife of 66 years, Katherine (Kitty); his children, John Duane II (Kathy) Morningred, Patricia L. Plaster, and Sharon M. Morningred; his grandchildren, Michael E. Plaster ( Corey Latch), Brandon A. (Meirav) Morningred, Erin K. M. (Brendan) Cleary, and Sarah E. Morningred ( Matthew Brodeur); and his great-grandchildren, Tyler S. Plaster and Katherine E. Cleary. He is also survived by his brother, Daniel H. (Lois) Morningred; his brother-in-law, Dale Sharpe; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his siblings, William C. (Yvonne) Morningred, Isobel H. (Donald) Mack, and Patricia A. Sharpe.

Duane will be remembered for his steadfast faith, dedication to learning, and the love he shared with his family and friends. He will be missed, but his legacy endures through the family that he raised and the students that he inspired.

There will be two (2) viewings/visitations and Masses. The first visitation will be held at St. John the Beloved Catholic Church at 907 Milltown Road, Wilmington, DE 19808 on Tuesday, November 4, 2025 from 10:00-11:00 a.m., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m. The second viewing/visitation will be held at Russin Funeral Home at 618 Martin Street, Bellwood, PA 16617 on Wednesday, November 5, 2025 from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at St. Matthew Catholic Church located at 1105 Cameron Avenue in Tyrone, PA 16686 on Thursday, November 6, 2025 at 10:00 a.m., followed by interment at Oak Grove Cemetery in Tyrone, PA.