Gale Morningstar

Gale Emery Morningstar died Wednesday, September 21, in Frederick, MD from complications of Parkinson disease. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Connie.

Gale was born in Wauseon, Ohio, June 15, 1921. He spent his early life in the Toledo/Sylvania area. He graduated from the old Burnham High School in Sylvania in 1939, and he remained a life-long learner and voracious reader. Gale was a talented, professionally trained vocalist and organist who performed with choirs and choruses wherever he lived.

But despite his musical talent, he chose lifetime career in dental ceramics beginning with in apprenticeship in Dresch Laboratory in Toledo. Gale’s career was interrupted by World War II. He served in the Army Medical Department with postings in France, the Philippines and Japan. He also served as a chaplain’s assistant, providing music for religious services.

He returned to Toledo after the war, where he met Connie Van Orden. Gale and Connie were married in Sylvania, Ohio, in 1952, and then moved to Salt Lake City, Utah. He was first associated with Medical Arts Dental Laboratory, and then opened Gale Morningstar Dental Ceramics. He became a recognized expert in the latest techniques in dental ceramics.

He retired in 1984, and Gale and Connie traveled collecting information on antiques for books and articles Connie would write, and Gale would illustrate with photography. Gale was a talented amateur photographer. They divided their time between homes in Salt Lake City and Scottsdale, AZ, then moved to an assisted living facility in Maryland, MD in 2007.

Besides his wife Connie, Gale is survived by his sons, Warren Morningstar and wife Elizabeth Ware, of Frederick, MD, Alan Morningstar and wife Sandra, of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Warren’s daughter Elizabeth Ann Morningstar of Superior, Colorado.

A memorial service will be held October 15 at 3 p.m. in the Coffman Chapel on the Hood College campus in Frederick, MD. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Frederick County Hospice, which helped make Gale’s last days peaceful and the transition tranquil.