HAPPY ANNIVERSARY SEATTLE! 
Here’s to 30!
Celebrating 30 years of living in Seattle
January 22, 2024

I spent my first 18 years growing up on Long Island (New York) and called it home for the four years I was at Davidson College in North Carolina and a year or two after college while working in the city For Brooks Brothers and living with my Mom and Dad on Long Island.

Brooks Brothers moved me to Hartford, Connecticut in 1985 where I lived 4 years.

In 1989, I matriculated at Cornell University for a graduate degree, and I lived in Ithaca, New York (Finger Lakes) for 2 years.

1991-1993 were spent in Ridgewood, New Jersey at my first hospital administration role.

But on January 22, 1994, I finished my westbound, cross-country travels in my Honda Accord and crossed the I-90 Floating Bridge, drove through the Mount Baker tunnel, and

arrived in Seattle, Washington. My new home! It was driven by love (which was unwelcomed, later to evolve and over the years emerged into an amazing, wonderful different kind of love.)

So today, I celebrate, honor, question, wipe a tear and I smile. Today marks 30 years of residence in the Pacific Northwest, specifically Seattle, Washington.

Over the last 30 years, I have had over 8 different jobs here in metropolitan Seattle, 5 in healthcare administration. I took a chance and opened my own retail store OSLO’s; only 5

years later to close it. And I had a 12-year love affair with a golden retriever who was the namesake of the store. I have lived on Queen Anne Hill for 29 ó years (in the same

apartment). I served as the Junior Warden of St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral, the President of the Puget Sound Healthcare Executive Forum, and a served as a board member of the Seattle Bravo Club. I reinvigorated the United Way Campaign at Evergreen Healthcare to raise over $100,000 from employees was named one of the 1999 Campaign Coordinators

of the Year. In 2007, I was recognized by Menswear Magazine as owning one of the best men’s stores in the country.

But what really happened in those 30 years?

I was at the Seattle Gym (I have been a member for 30 years) when the World Trade Centers were attacked back on the east coast, we stood and watched the second plane fly into the second tower and slowly we put our dumbbells down and went home. I volunteered for the Seattle Commons in South Lake Union, a proposed “Central Park” from Lake Union

to the then existing downtown. It failed to a new baseball stadium. I went to work at Evergreen Healthcare in a tuxedo for W2K just in case the computers all failed at midnight. I

stood outside a gay bar and danced in the street when Barack Obama was elected President. And a few years later, I took my t-shirt off and proudly danced at my first Gay Pride street party at the Cuff.

I went to the opening of the new Nordstroms new downtown flagship, and ran the St. Patty’s Day Dash on the Viaduct, and soaked in the views of Puget Sound and the Olympics

Mountains before the viaduct was torn down and the tunnel became the fast way to the airport. I recall when the Opera House renovated, the Kingdome imploded, and the Seattle

Art Museum moved downtown, followed by the Seattle Symphony after building Benaroya Hall. I listened to CDs on Friday nights at the new Barnes & Nobles at the old shopping

center that became the new University Village. At some time or another, I had season tickets to the Seattle Supersonics, Intiman Theatre, Seattle Opera, and the Seattle Mariners. I watched Ichiro adjust his sleeve hundreds of times before setting up for the next pitch at the new Safeco Stadium in 2001 with 116 wins.

I took Norwegian lessons at the old Nordic Museum and slept through Greek mythology lectures at Burke Museum on the UW campus. Some days I ran around Green Lake, other days I walked around Green Lake with Oslo, and still other days, I accompanied a friend around Green Lake while we momentarily thought we had solved the problems of the big world, or our world, or at least a job, or a relationship issue during the 3 mile loop.

I experienced with my parents Wagner's Ring Cycle at Seattle Opera and the Nutcracker performed by Pacific Northwest Ballet and took my parents to Folklife in Seattle Center. I listened and cheered to Dionne Warwick, James Taylor, Beyonce, and Burt Bacharach perform live, to name just a few, and I danced under the moon on the pier to Hit Explosion with new friends. And I jumped up and down with other friends at a small intimate Super Bowl Party (replicated throughout the city) when the Seahawks won the Super Bowl in 2014.

I fell in love, cried during breakups, finally came out, and with time reconnected with past loves who became best friends. I officiated a friend’s wedding and danced at many other friends’ wedding receptions. And I walked for Breast Cancer, wore a pink hat in the Women’s March in 2016 and cried when same sex marriages were legally recognized.

I have seen the Tulips in Skagit Valley, been to birthday parties in Palm Springs, mistakenly driven over the Snoqualmie Pass in a snowstorm, hiked with friends in Whistler, BC, driven the loop around the Olympic Peninsula and walked in the Hoh Rainforest, been to “Paradise” (south slope of Mt. Rainier) and enjoyed Chuckanut Drive on a Sunday afternoon. And I ran with Oslo in the surf of the Pacific Ocean. Spent weekends in Spokane, Portland and Vancouver, BC. Drank Aperol Spritzes on Orcas Island. I have attended Spring Training in Arizona, and admired the flowers in Butchart Gardens in Victoria, BC.I have

shopped fashion in Los Angeles for Oslo’s, skied in Sun Valley and left my heart in San Francisco.

And all the oh so many, hip, and very trendy, new Seattle restaurants, been there, done them. The coffee shops, and the local brewery and wine cellars. I learned to use mobile

apps. Ha, I had a landline, a BlackBerry, a flip phone and an Apple. And of course, the sudden realization to pause, to turn, and to watch the sun set over the Olympic Mountains.

Done the street fairs, watched the naked bicyclists pass by, seen the hydroplane boats and the Seafair Pirates, walked on the new glass floor on the Space Needle. And toured the

neighborhoods, shopped the nursery in the Spring and eaten Frangos at Christmas. I have stood on my deck to watch the July 4th Fireworks over Lake Union and stood in line at

Larsen’s Danish Bakery for a fresh Kringle on Christmas Eve. And of course, the ferry rides, “Come on we gotta get out of the car and stand on the upper outside deck and see the views” as the ferry skims across Puget Sound.

These memories are my life’s memories.

And life happens. And I have lived more of my years here than elsewhere. I have said goodbye to my parents, a few colleagues and a few friends and come home, sat quietly, reflected and listened to my favorites playlist. I have enjoyed the community I have found at Betty’s my neighborhood restaurant. I have endured a lot of rainy days. New construction downtown has finally blocked my view of Mt. Rainier, but my daily “good

morning” to the mountain continues. I still gasp in awe when I turn a corner and there is a full view of Mount Rainier. Watching the sun rise over the Cascades on a sunny morning still

captures my attention.

And I know I have been enriched with friends, some who I have known for 29+ years (you know who you are), others who came and then disappeared and then others who I met just a moment ago. I have had experiences that have brought joy, laughter, tears, and heartache.

Everchanging. One of the few things we can count on in life. After 30 years, I am uncertain where, when or what will come next, none of us ever do, but the Emerald City has enchanted me for past 30 years and I smile in what has been just simply, my life.

Happy 30th Anniversary Seattle!

WELCOME to the Celebration of Life ~ Patricia Morgan

I was asked by family members to welcome their family and friends as the Celebration of Life began honoring their Mother: Patricia Morgan.

Read on August 6th, 2023 in Spokane, Washington

Good morning.

 

What a beautiful summer day as we come together to celebrate, to honor, to remember, to say goodbye. 

 

This is our time to share, our love, our stories, our regrets and our memories of an accomplished women, mother, friend, grandmother, neighbor, attorney, and nurse. A lover of the arts local and beyond and an active member of the Spokane community. 

 

Today we share our memories.  Your memories will join together with others’ memories.

 

Today we begin to create a beautiful tapestry of our shared memories that will help us keep Pat alive in our hearts and minds. 

 

Today is as much about Pat as it is about our own individual loss.

 

Today we come together to listen, to laugh, to learn, to cry, to celebrate, to remind us of how lucky we all are to have had Pat a part of our lives. 

 

Pat Morgan. 

 

Patricia Bladykas Hall Morgan… as I liked to call her. 

 

On behalf of her family, Jennifer, Emily, Wendy, Baxter and Edi, We welcome you.  

 

I am John, a family friend. I met Pat 31 years ago in 1992, Pat and Emily had traveled east to attend Jennifer’s graduate school graduation.  When I moved to Seattle, I would see Pat on her trips to Seattle and my trips to Spokane. I always knew I had Pat’s support as my friendship with her daughter grew, stumbled, changed direction and went the distance as lifetime friends. I was honored that her daughters, Jennifer and Emily, asked me to open today’s celebration. 

 

To start today, let me take just a moment to share my favorite Pat story. 

 

Pat and I were both Long Islanders. We both grew up on Long Island and we talked about it occasionally when we were together. A twin, Pat and her sister Betty, “The Bladykas Twins” as I use to call them to her daughters, had a tradition of getting their childhood girlfriends together for a long weekend of catching up, sightseeing in whatever city they had chosen to meet up in, sharing memories and having fun.  One weekend when Pat was hosting at Jennifer’s condo in Seattle, Pat called me up (I lived a few blocks away) and said the girls were in town (I thought she meant Jennifer and Emily). But mistaken, much to my surprise, l later learned and met the “Long Island Ladies!” 

 

The Long Island Ladies, had come together in Seattle to do their thing and to continue to nurture their own unique and special friendship. Pat asked me to join them for lunch at Café Campagne down at the Pike’s Place market. So off I went. And I had lunch with these 4-5 accomplished ladies sharing their lives and catching up. We laughed and talked about Long Island and had a grand time. Truly one of my favorite memories of Pat and her twin Betty. 

 

When Pat’s sister Betty died, I shared this story with Jennifer and to her astonishment she said: “Emily and I were never invited to the Long Island Ladies’ weekends… How the heck did you get to attend?” 

 

I shrugged and simply said maybe because I grew up on Long Island? It was a unique day, where I became aware of a different Pat, a lady beyond just my friends’ mother. And the stories they shared were fun and rich. 

 

I smile every time I think about that luncheon. I can so clearly see us sitting at the table together chatting and sharing. And all those ladies who were celebrating, living, learning and their friendship. I like to think they are with us today. It was a special luncheon I will never forget. It was a gift Pat offered to me. Thank you Pat for that afternoon and all the treasured memories.

 

Pat would have loved to be here today, and she is… She is in all our hearts and in our minds and she will live on in our memories. She is, though, intently listening, smiling, laughing along with us and loving that this morning we came together to celebrate her life and her love. 

 

On behalf of Pat’s family, we are honored you are with us this morning. 

 

After the family and a few of her close friends honor Pat’s memory and her influence on their own lives, We will honor Pat, together, with a toast, assuring she begins her new journey keeping an eye on all of us.

 

We then will adjourn briefly to the lobby while the staff of the Spokane Club sets up a wonderful brunch for us to enjoy. During that brunch, we welcome you to share your own stories and to enjoy the photo montage. 

 

Come back into this room, talk to someone you don’t know, but knew Pat. Share your memories. This morning is a special morning for all of us to come together. It is through our stories we gain strength and keep Pat present in our hearts. 

 

Together we weave a new tapestry to warm our memories of Pat Morgan. Head home to your own personal lives remembering Pat and the intricate ways our time this morning weaved together, the sharing, the tears, the laughter and the beauty.  Cherish how it enriched our souls and preserved her memory in our hearts.  

 

Lucky us!

 

Indeed, What a beautiful morning!