William D. Morton

Of Churchill, age 73, passed away surrounded by his family on Monday, November 29, 2021. Beloved husband of 48 years of Karen (Hilinski) Morton. Loving father of Korie Morton-Rozier (Keelan Rozier) and Quinn Matz (Conrad, IV). Proud grandfather of Skylar, Brooklyn, Jersey, Conrad, V, and Brock. Brother of Barbara A. Jenkins (Kenneth). Preceded in death by his siblings, James Morton, Jr., Linda Delancey, and Karen L. Russini. 

Bill was a 1968 graduate of Wilkinsburg High School where he was an outstanding football, basketball, and baseball player. In his senior year, he was the Foothills Conference MVP in football and was selected to play in the 1968 Big 33 Game in Hershey. He was drafted out of high school as a catcher with the Cincinnati Reds and played two years of minor league baseball before being drafted into the Army to serve in Vietnam. He was awarded the Army Commendation Medal and Bronze Star for heroism, and returned to West Liberty University, coaching football and baseball there prior to his graduation. For 42 years, Bill taught and coached at Franklin Regional, Pittsburgh Central Catholic, Gateway, and Woodland Hills, as well as two York County schools, Red Lion and Steelton-Highspire, where he was the head coach. He was the defensive coordinator at Pittsburgh Central Catholic in 1988, when they won their first PIAA Quad AAAA title. He was also the defensive coordinator at Woodland Hills High School and was highly instrumental in leading the Wolverines to four WPIAL Championships in 1999, 2001, 2002, and 2009. In the 2009 football season at Woodland Hills, Bill battled the effects of Agent Orange, contracted in Vietnam, and called defensive signals via closed circuit TV from his bed at the VA Hospital.

Bill was a 2005 inductee into the East Boros Sports Hall of Fame and named WPIAL Coach of the Year in 2010 by vote of the WPIAL football coaches, the only time a non-head coach was selected. He was recently inducted into the Western Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. Ten of his former defensive players have played in the NFL.

Friends are welcome at a memorial visitation at Wolfe Memorial, LLC, Forest Hills Chapel, 3604 Greensburg Pike, Pittsburgh PA 15221, on Saturday from 1:00 to 9:00pm. In lieu of flowers, and in recognition of the wonderful care Bill received at the VA hospital, his family requests memorial gifts to "VA Pittsburgh Voluntary Services 118", VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, 1010 Delafield Road, Pittsburgh PA 15215. Gifts may be mailed or given to the funeral home staff at the Saturday visitation.

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