Morgan Fick Williams, a devoted and much-loved daughter, mother, sister, aunt, and friend, died from injuries sustained in a tragic car accident on Thursday, April 4, 2013, at the age of 58.

Morgan was born on January 30, 1955 at Skagit County Hospital and grew up in Oak Harbor, Washington. She attended Oak Harbor schools and was an active and outstanding student, serving as Student Body President – the first girl ever to hold that position at OHHS — her senior year. She attended the University of Washington and graduated cum laude in three and a half years (in January, 1977) with a double major in Business Administration and Accounting. She remained an avid Husky fan her entire life, and she enjoyed longtime rivalries with co-workers and friends who had the misfortune of attending WSU or the University of Oregon.

Morgan was a hard worker who held various jobs throughout junior high, high school and college. She first worked for Eddie Bauer part-time in college and began working there full-time upon graduation. She left a couple of times to work for other companies but eventually returned to Eddie Bauer, working there more than 30 years in total. The day after she died, all of her co-workers, including the WSU and U of O grads, wore purple in her honor.

Morgan was optimistic, energetic, and fun-loving; she was an active and lifelong Democrat; and she was an eager and adventurous world traveler. Her most special attribute, though, was her gift for developing deep and sustained relationships with family and friends. She stayed in frequent contact with not only her immediate family but also her extended family, making regular trips to California, the Midwest, and eastern Washington to visit and stay in touch. She remained close friends with many classmates from the Oak Harbor High School Class of 1973 and with many roommates from the UW’s Haggett Hall. She cared about what was happening in the lives of others and she had a knack for remembering important things about them. In recent years she helped many friends who were dealing with illness; on the day she died, she had driven her car to work rather than take the bus because she had planned to spend the evening with a high-school friend who is in hospice care in Bellingham.

Morgan’s father, Lawrence P. Fick, with whom she was very close, died when she was 13; many of us felt that her devotion to her family and her desire to stay connected to those she loved were in part a result of losing her Dad at such a young age. She is survived by her mother, Jeannine Smith, and stepfather Charles Smith; daughter Erin Kinch (Jarren), son Jonathan Williams (girlfriend Chelan Shero), and former husband Greg Williams; siblings Maggie LaRue (Andre), Matt Fick (Jan), and Mark Fick (Michelle); nephew Morgan LaRue (Elizabeth), niece Maggie Fick, and nephew Charles Fick; and a large extended family. She is also survived by her partner Jerry Esterly, with whom she has enjoyed several international trips, including most recently to London and Morocco.

The family has established a fund to provide an annual scholarship at Oak Harbor High School to be awarded in honor of Morgan’s zest for life and her example of service to others. Donations to the fund can be made to the Morgan Fick Williams Scholarship Fund at any branch of Key Bank or mailed to Scholarship Fund, 271 Wyatt Way NE, Suite 106, Bainbridge Island, Washington, 98110.

A memorial celebration of Morgan’s life will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, April 20, at Seattle Unity Church, 200 8th Avenue North in Seattle.

The family wishes to thank the paramedics of Seattle Fire Department’s Medic 1 Program and the doctors and staff at Harborview Medical Center for their dedication and professionalism.