Originally born as Page Mergentheim, she changed her name to Morton (her father's first name) after moving to NYC in 1940 to pursue a career as a singer. During the 1940s and '50s she sang and played piano in various New York clubs, hotel bars and restaurants including the Warwick Hotel's Raleigh Room, Cafe Pierre, the Vanderbilt and the Sherry-Netherland. The band leader Guy Lombardo saw her perform in the Pierre and suggested to William Black that she could sing the advertising jingle for Chock full o'Nuts coffee. Her rendition was the most well known. She became Black's third wife in 1962.
She also became a director of Chock full o'Nuts and worked with her husband's philanthropic ventures. In 1957 William Black had contributed $100,000 to establish the Parkinson's Disease Foundation. Later he donated several million dollars to medical research. Morton became the unpaid secretary of the Foundation and following the death of her husband in 1983, she took over his role as the chairperson and remained so until 2012.
She died on July 21, 2013; her interment was private but a celebration of her life was held at Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel on September 12, 2013.
She also became a director of Chock full o'Nuts and worked with her husband's philanthropic ventures. In 1957 William Black had contributed $100,000 to establish the Parkinson's Disease Foundation. Later he donated several million dollars to medical research. Morton became the unpaid secretary of the Foundation and following the death of her husband in 1983, she took over his role as the chairperson and remained so until 2012.
She died on July 21, 2013; her interment was private but a celebration of her life was held at Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel on September 12, 2013.
Originally born as Page Mergentheim, she changed her name to Morton (her father's first name) after moving to NYC in 1940 to pursue a career as a singer. During the 1940s and '50s she sang and played piano in various New York clubs, hotel bars and restaurants including the Warwick Hotel's Raleigh Room, Cafe Pierre, the Vanderbilt and the Sherry-Netherland. The band leader Guy Lombardo saw her perform in the Pierre and suggested to William Black that she could sing the advertising jingle for Chock full o'Nuts coffee. Her rendition was the most well known. She became Black's third wife in 1962.
She also became a director of Chock full o'Nuts and worked with her husband's philanthropic ventures. In 1957 William Black had contributed $100,000 to establish the Parkinson's Disease Foundation. Later he donated several million dollars to medical research. Morton became the unpaid secretary of the Foundation and following the death of her husband in 1983, she took over his role as the chairperson and remained so until 2012.
She died on July 21, 2013; her interment was private but a celebration of her life was held at Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel on September 12, 2013.
She also became a director of Chock full o'Nuts and worked with her husband's philanthropic ventures. In 1957 William Black had contributed $100,000 to establish the Parkinson's Disease Foundation. Later he donated several million dollars to medical research. Morton became the unpaid secretary of the Foundation and following the death of her husband in 1983, she took over his role as the chairperson and remained so until 2012.
She died on July 21, 2013; her interment was private but a celebration of her life was held at Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel on September 12, 2013.
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