Erna A Morgan McReynolds

Franklin, NY - FRANKLIN - In sadness, the family of Erna Morgan McReynolds announce that she passed away in her sleep early Monday Sept. 29 in London. Erna was an exceptional woman - bold, brilliant, warm, generous - whose achievements are too many to list.

Erna was born in 1952 to Caroline and William McReynolds. She grew up in Gilbertsville. Her family often suffered extreme financial difficulties, ill health and old-fashioned poverty. These challenges required her to take on great responsibilities as a youngster. Such became a habit for the rest of her life.

She graduated from Gilbertsville Central School. She was an exceptional student, read every book in sight, and was granted special license by the Gilbertsville public librarian to take out any number of books at the same time, whenever she wanted.

She attended two years of college. However, her higher education was cut short by an illness and lack of funds.

At 20 she dared to emigrate to New Zealand. There, she learned journalism, both print and radio/television. After a few years she relocated to London. There, she worked at times for the BBC as a freelance reporter. She then became a senior news producer for London Broadcasting. The LBC audience was touted as the largest in all of Europe. She was lured back to the U.S. to marry Tom Morgan. She become a senior producer for NBC News. At Rockefeller Center she worked with Tom Brokaw, Connie Chung, Jessica Savage, John Palmer and various luminaries of the news world. The famous Willard Scott (NBC's Willard the Weatherman on the Today Show) worked with her every day on a brief radio piece. He presented her each morning with the carnation he had worn in that day's Today Show.

After a few years Erna came to Oneonta to join with Tom in the investment business at E.F. Hutton - now Morgan Stanley. This became known as the Morgan McReynolds Group and was the predecessor of today's TableRock Group.

In her work, Erna often tread where women dared not. In her youth in the early 1970s single women simply did not emigrate to far-off countries. They did not visit such places as India on their own. Rarely did women work in serious journalism. (Her daily newspaper in New Zealand employed two women.) Exceptionally rare were women who worked as investment advisors. More than tread, she strode purposefully and enjoyed notable success wherever she worked.

After her husband Tom's health forced his retirement, she took over sole management of the investment group. Training and inspiring a team of mostly women, she led them to become one of the largest investment groups in the country. They served with more than 4,000 clients in 23 states and several countries. She tread where no one had when she extended the investment service to some Caribbean countries, managing their precious Social Security Fund assets. Barron's Magazine featured her several times, once on its cover. And the United Nations invited her to speak at one of its conferences, about the advancement of women.

Erna believed that those blessed with success have opportunities to share those blessings with others. She seized those opportunities with such organizations as the Executive Service Corps, Girl Scouts, and innumerable charities and causes. She dove into her trustee work on the boards of the Catskill Symphony, Glimmerglass Opera Festival, Hartwick College, Fenimore Art Museum and more. She was particularly interested in supporting activities that widened the cultural horizons for kids in small rural schools.

It is fair to say the Catskill Symphony owes its survival to Erna. Many years ago, the orchestra was in the worst of financial conditions and had cancelled its season. It was virtually bankrupt. When she heard this she turned to her husband, Tom. "Symphonies are sacred. We cannot let a symphony go under." She helped to recruit a new board of devoted and determined trustees to set about funding and rescuing the orchestra and establishing an endowment for it. One of the delights of her life was the night she became its guest conductor in its fund-raising cabaret concert.

Erna loved to organize and host social events in her home. For years she and Tom welcomed hundreds of guests at after-concert parties for her beloved Catskill Symphony. They also invited hundreds to annual July 4 community picnics and fireworks. They staged annual community Christmas parties and early Thanksgiving events. They brought cabaret entertainers from New York City to perform for the public.

Erna's generosity will live on for future generations. She and her husband have created the Morgan McReynolds charitable foundation. It is designed to provide enduring support for various causes. She dreamed the foundation will become a major charitable fund for the region. She has made provision for future Helios/Hospice Daffodil Fests at her and Tom's home in Franklin. And her wishes are for more and more Hometown Christmas/Catskill Brass concerts in Franklin.

Erna was devoted to her family. She worked diligently to bring them together from around the world. She leaves behind seven grandchildren and two sisters, Betty in Phoenix, Maxine in South Carolina. Also six children, Pamela Morgan in New Zealand; Kathleen Morgan in Telluride, Colorado; Benjamin Morgan of Salt Lake City; Marcie Shoneman of Nashua, New Hampshire; Garrett Brown in Los Angeles and Paige McReynolds in Wells Bridge. Also, "Special extra son" Damien Crandall in Atlanta. She was predeceased by her beloved sister, Wendy Brown. (Erna and Tom sponsor an annual Wendy Brown Cabaret concert by the Catskill Symphony.) She leaves behind her best friend of 49 years, Robyn Lynch of London. She also leaves behind her husband of 41 years, Tom Morgan of Franklin, to whom she was devoted beyond words. It was her bold decisions and fine judgement that literally saved Tom from death on two occasions. His admiration of her is best summed up with "She made everything possible."

There will be a gathering to celebrate Erna's life at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, at Foothills Performing Arts Center in Oneonta. For friends unable to attend, the gathering, they will be available to stream live on the Foothills performing Arts & Civic Center Facebook page.

If you are interested in donating to one of Erna's favorite causes, Helios (Hospice) Care in Oneonta and the Catskill Symphony of Oneonta would be high on her list.