Earl Morales, retired police photographer, church deacon, and veteran, has died at 82

Earl Morales, 82, of Philadelphia, retired photographer for the Philadelphia Police Department, church deacon, and veteran, died Tuesday, Feb. 14, of cardiopulmonary arrest at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Morales was the Police Department’s longtime official photographer at crime scenes, press conferences, pubic events, and other noteworthy places. He took pictures of visiting dignitaries and notorious criminals, physical evidence, mug shots, and other photos for the department’s records and identification unit from 1968 until his retirement in 2003.

A lifelong photographer, he earned an internship with the Police Department in high school and was so impressive behind the camera and at the fingerprints desk they offered him a full-time job just a few years later. Ever since, he carried a camera practically everywhere and posed his family and friends constantly.

He took so many photos, his family said, they have very few of him. “He never wanted to be in front of the camera,” said his wife, Vernell.

Mr. Morales spent nearly 40 years in the Army, the last three decades in the reserves, and retired in 2000 as a command sergeant major. He enlisted after high school in 1961, spent time in Germany, and was based in New Jersey on the weekends as a reserve. “He was proud to have reached that level as a Black man,” his wife said. “He was a leader.”

Mr. Morales was generally quiet, his wife said, but could talk at length with other veterans or those especially interested in the service. “He loved the military,” said his daughter, Lisa V. Outterbridge. “It was his life.”

At church, Mr. Morales was an ordained deacon and chairman of the deacons and trustees board at Littles Memorial Temple United Holy Church. He taught Bible study and Sunday school, and sang tenor in the choir.

He embraced the structure that came with being active in the church and military, and was known for his organization and efficiency. “He had a business mind,” his wife said. “He got the job done.”

Born Feb. 17, 1940, in Franklin, Va., William Earl Morales was adopted by a couple who moved to South Philadelphia when he was young. He grew up with three brothers and a sister, and graduated from West Philadelphia High School.

He was a member at First Pentecostal United Holy Church as a boy and served later as president of a district choir. He met Vernell Glenn in 1955 at a church youth group event, and they married in 1963, had daughter Lisa and sons Derrick and Keith, and lived in Southwest Philadelphia.

They dated for eight years, but there wasn’t much doubt about the future. “He told a friend he was going to marry me,” his wife said.

Mr. Morales worked briefly in retail at Lit Bros. when he was young, was handy around the house when he was older, and followed football and the Eagles closely. Mostly, he liked to take pictures of his family and friends.

He sang around the house sometimes, his granddaughter reported, and he told everyone he was going to “do nothing” upon his retirement. “That’s what he did,” his wife said.

He maintained a relationship with his birth mother and doted on his children. He was called Earl by family and Bill by friends and associates. He liked coffee and fried chicken, and took his wife, to thank her for all the sacrifices she made for him, on yearly vacations to Florida, California, Hawaii, Canada, Jamaica, and elsewhere.

He didn’t talk much about work. “Earl’s first priority,” his family said, “was taking care of his beloved wife and his children.”

His wife said in a tribute: “This was a journey that I wouldn’t want to take with anyone else because I’m sure God has already given me his best in you.”

In addition to his wife and children, Mr. Morales is survived by six grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, three brothers, two sisters, and other relatives. Two brothers and two grandchildren died earlier.

A celebration of his life was held on Feb. 24.