Obituary of Kathleen Mavis Morgan

Kathleen Morgan of Camden, Maine, died peacefully after a brief illness November 5, 2022.

Kathleen was born in Culver City, California April 20, 1945, to Freda Mavis Welch and Jacob Jonathan Morgan.  Kathleen was predeceased by her sister Diana, formerly of Reno, Nevada. She is survived by her brothers David of Reno, Nevada (Lynne); Bill of Sagle, Idaho (Cyndi); and Jim of Morganton, Georgia (KC). 

After residing in California and Nevada during the early part of her life, Kathleen chose to relocate and made the trip from California via motorcycle east across the southern part of Canada, where she finished her journey in Lubec, Maine.  After living and working in the Lubec area for several years, in 1984 Kathleen began her lifelong commitment to community service by working at Spruce Run (now Partners for Peace), a domestic violence resource center in Bangor, Maine.

In 1993, continuing her work as an advocate for a world free from domestic violence and abuse, Kathleen began her tenure as the longest serving Executive Director at New Hope for Women (now New Hope Midcoast).  At the time of her retirement in 2019, Kathleen’s many accomplishments included leadership in creating a groundbreaking dating abuse guide for teens in relationships; initiating outreach at Two Bridges Regional Jail for incarcerated women; offering legal representation and assistance for domestic violence victims; managing the Midcoast certified batterer intervention program; and prioritizing outreach to youth, elders and LGBTQ survivors.  After retirement Kathleen retained her passion as an advocate for those impacted by domestic violence until her death.

Kathleen made her home in Camden, Maine.  As an avid art enthusiast, she was drawn to the vibrant art scene in the Midcoast region.  Kathleen spent much of her free time frequenting local galleries and theaters, supporting local restaurants and was an active member of the Camden Public Library - a favorite respite to absorb literature, borrow DVD’s and engage with the community. Her love of learning ensured those around her could count on enthusiastic and educated discussions on topics ranging from politics to religion, history, and fiction.  Those close to Kathleen knew of her dedication to reading The New Yorker Magazine from cover to cover and would often be recipients of clippings or cartoons Kathleen felt they would relate to.  Kathleen’s love of the arts also included her joy in listening to music ranging from classical to musicals and she could be found most Saturdays at the Strand Theater enjoying season tickets to the Metropolitan Opera.

Kathleen’s joy in life’s pleasures, her incredible intelligence, her empathy and compassion and her beautiful sparkle will be missed terribly by her friends, colleagues and loved ones.  Should you wish to honor Kathleen, her friends at New Hope Midcoast would be happy to discuss the many ways you can provide support: newhopemidcoast.org/take-action/ or please donate to the Midcoast art community in her memory.