Today I am going to write about the very distinguished and well known Patricia (Reynolds) Morgan. Pat was born in 1933 in Black River the capital of St. Elizabeth Parish, in southwestern Jamaica; the second child of Charles and Everilda Reynolds. Her parents were school teachers; her dad was a principal and her mother a primary school teacher.
Pat was trained as a medical laboratory technician in Kingston, Jamaica and worked for a short time as a medical lab assistant with the Malaria Eradication Program, a sub-group of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Jamaica.
At the young age of 24, Pat entered the nursing program at the University of Toronto in 1957, but opted out for marriage in 1959 to Rev. Dr. Lance Morgan (deceased).
After the birth of their son Wayne in 1960, she trained as a teacher at the Hamilton Teacher's College in Hamilton, Ont.
Lance Morgan, a young Jamaican pastor and his wife Pat, moved to Prince George in 1962.
Pat said, "Lance finished his Masters Degree and was working on his Doctorate Degree when he felt compelled to answer the call to come and minister at the First Baptist Church here in Prince George. The church had its share of struggles in their initial years.
"The building was condemned; membership had not increased for many years and the parish was in debt. It wasn't long until Lance changed all of that."
Pat has been an integral part of the growth and development of the First Baptist Church for over 40 years as she served in many capacities and for several terms as a member of its board of management.
She served on the board of the Baptist Union of Western Canada for many years and on the board of Carey Theological College for two years.
She is widely known for her silent roles as executive secretary, counselor, and helpmate to her well-known husband,
Rev. Dr. Lance Morgan both in his pastoral ministry and in his community involvement.
Pat's history of her own volunteer work is extensive. She was a volunteer with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, the Project Friendship Society of Prince George, a board member for the Prince George Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada and a former member of the Black History Committee of Prince George.
She enjoys music, gardening, hospitality, travel and reading.
All of this was prior to January of 2013 when sadly Rev. Dr. Lance Morgan passed away due to heart failure. They were married for 53 years and his passing left a huge hole in Pat's life. She has since taken time off to give herself time to regroup and to encourage other people in their struggles with a similar loss.
Pat said, "I have a back problem so I try to walk more and to remain active. I meet with some of the new overseas students who have come to Prince George to study at either the University of Northern B.C. or at the College of New Caledonia.
"I try to pick them up for church, invite them for meals and basically to help them get settled into their new Canadian life. I have also become a volunteer visitor for the Prince George Council of Seniors. I visit a shut-in senior on a weekly basis and I find that very fulfilling."
Together Pat and Lance raised four children all of whom are involved in their communities in one way or another.
Their eldest son Wayne (Maureen) recently returned to Prince George on May 28 after serving for three and a half years with the Canadian Baptist Ministries in Kenya.
Kevin (Vernaye) of Prince George is a customer service representative at Service BC a source for frontline government service and information in British Columbia.
Carla Morgan is a training consultant in Burnaby and Tanya Morgan works for the City of Toronto's Employment and Social Services providing training and development for staff.
Pat said, "I have seven wonderful grandchildren and now I am just waiting on great grandchildren."
Thanking volunteers
Seniors that do volunteer work have always been very special to me; most seem to follow a life long pattern of always being willing to do something extra for their community or for other people.
Many are still volunteering in their "golden years" or as some refer to it as "the final season of our lives."
With that in mind I would personally like to thank the following 25 seniors and two non-seniors who recently helped in the non-profit garage sale put on by the line dancers and their friends at the Elder Citizens Recreation Centre.
The volunteers that helped by lifting and packing over a period of two days were: Lino Nadalin, Rita Svatos, Barb Claffey, Orv Claffey, Noreen Rustad, Donna Delane, Theresa Mallam, Gladys Goyer, Euc Goyer, Diane Goyer, Carol Stewart, Jack Tremblay, Marie Moore, Glen Callieou, Lavinia Ouellet, Carol Anderson, Carol Haugland, Kirsten Redding, Adele Mingay, Morris Mingay, Evelyn O'Sullivan, Joyce Unrau, Helen Checkley, Magdalene Pudlas, Yvonne Rowe and Ben W. and Elaine S.
Thank you so much to each and every one of you for all of your hard work and thank you to all those members and friends that contributed in one way or another to the fundraiser.
