Bequests and Estate Gifts

Member's legacy strengthens Hospice care

Evelyn Morseth belonged to Group Health "for ages," said her daughter, Ellen Morseth. So when the longtime Seattle resident died at age 91, it was not surprising that she left money to the Foundation as thanks for the many years of care Group Health had provided her and her family. What came as a surprise was the size of her gift.

Evelyn's $510,00 bequest was the second largest in the Foundation's 22-year history. She also made major donations to the American Diabetes Society and Medic One. "You'd never know she had two cents to rub together because she lived a very simple lifestyle," said Ellen, a Kansas City, Mo., resident. "It just floored me how much money she left."

A retired nurse, Evelyn was born in Stokesbury, England, and grew up on a farm before immigrating to Canada. After attending nursing school in Edmonton, Morseth moved to Seattle, where she began her career at St. Luke's Hospital in 1937. She later worked at Swedish Medical Center, where she became the head nurse for the oncology ward. "They kept her on beyond normal retirement because she was so good," said Ellen. "She didn't retire until she was in her 70s."

As a nurse, Evelyn was "very pleasant, very careful and very attentive to the welfare of the patients and was a mentor to the younger nurses," said Ellen. The level of care she provided her patients was also the level of care she received from Group Health, said her daughter. "She always thought the whole family got wonderful care there at a reasonable cost," said Ellen.

Morseth's gift benefits the Hospice Endowed Fund and will help support bereavement services for Group Health members and their families.