BANGOR – At its recent Volunteer Recognition Dinner, Hospice of Eastern Maine honored East Millinocket volunteer Esther Morris with the Pat Jameson Award for Hospice Volunteer Excellence. Morris earned the award in recognition of her exceptional volunteer service to hospice patients and their families in 2002.

Morris is a well-known nurse in the Katahdin region. Her nursing career was spent helping patients at the Millinocket Hospital, workers at Great Northern Paper and numerous patients and families living with terminal illness whom she served while employed as Hospice of St. Joseph’s primary nurse.

Morris completed hospice volunteer training with Hospice of St. Joseph in 1996. In 1998 she joined the Hospice of Eastern Maine volunteer group, which provides services to hospice patients of Community Health and Counseling Services.

Since then, Morris has helped patients and families living with terminal illness. Morris also is active in St. Peter’s church in East Millinocket where she is a lector, Eucharistic minister and leader of the Lazarus Ministry for people facing end of life issues. She devoted 181 hours to hospice patients and education in 2002.