James A. Morton II, a Baltimore funeral director who established James A. Morton & Sons Funeral Home, died May 3 of cerebral vascular disease at his Pasadena home. He was 86.
The son of James A. Morton Sr., a funeral home attendant, and Gladys Morton, a homemaker, James Alexander Morton II was born near Charlottesville, Va., and later moved with his family to Baltimore.
He was a graduate of Bragg High School in Sparrows Point and attended Howard University.
He graduated in 1949 from the American Academy of Embalming in New York City, now the American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service.
He began his career with the William L. Jackson Funeral Home in Baltimore. In 1954, Mr. Morton and his partner, Morton Dyett, established James A. Morton & Sons Funeral Home in the 900 block of Pennsylvania Ave.; they later moved to Fremont Avenue.
In 1964, they began building the present funeral home in the 1700 block of Laurens St. It opened the next year.
"It was the first black-owned funeral home in Baltimore that was built from the ground up," said his former wife, the former Juanita Gales, who still works as a director at the funeral home.
Mr. Morton later opened a second funeral home on Main Street in Turners Station.
He retired in 2012
Mr. Morton enjoyed fishing, hunting and playing pool at the Fleming Senior Center in Dundalk.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at the City Temple of Baltimore, 317 Dolphin St.
Mr. Morton is survived by his wife of 38 years, the former Ann Bussey; a son, David L. Morton of Ellicott City; a sister, Constance Stewart of Salisbury; seven grandchildren; 10-great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandson. Another son, James A. Morton III, died earlier this year.
— Frederick N. Rasmussen