Pat Koch Morton

Pat Koch came to Iowa State in the fall of 1947 following her graduation from Waverly, IA, High School, where she was a student leader, band and vocal music group member, cheerleader, and honor student. She took great pleasure in her Iowa State years, sang with the Iowa State Singers, was selected for mortar board, and formed lifelong friendships with her "sisters" in the Gamma Phi Beta sorority house.

Following graduation from ISU in 1951, she took her first teaching post at Boulder, CO, High School, thriving on the teaching challenge and reveling in the beauty of the Rocky Mountains.

In September of 1952, she married Richard A. “Joe” Morton and became the couple's primary wage earner as a teacher in the Trumansburg, NY, High School while her husband continued his studies at Cornell University. In October of 1953, she gave birth to their first child (daughter Marian) in Iowa while temporarily back in Waverly and awaiting her husband's recovery from a second encounter with tuberculosis.

By the time seven more years had passed, Pat had resolutely demonstrated the kind of fortitude and strength of pioneer American women of a century earlier by making a home for her restless, impatient spouse in Seattle; in northern California; in Rochester, Minnesota; and in Mount Vernon, Iowa. During this same interval she had also given birth to son Andy, daughter Laura, son Joel, daughter Carol, and son Marc. A selfless, loving, and supportive mother and wife, she even found time for some ongoing college course work an occasional game of golf and involvement with the League of Women Voters.

After another job-related move (this time to Claremont, CA) the Mortons, at the end of 1966, returned to Iowa where they put their roots down permanently in Ames. With the children all in school, Pat returned to teaching and held various full and part-time positions, tutoring, patiently aiding special education students and ISU foreign students alike, and working both for the Ames Public schools and the Des Moines Area Community College.

She also served Gamma Phi Beta Omega chapter as a member and president of the corporation board. Of course, she also continued to be a full-time homemaker, mother, and wife while somehow finding time as well to excel in course work at ISU in Russian, Spanish, Chinese, linguistics, and computer science. She is clearly an extremely bright, highly organized, thorough, goal oriented, forthright, and unbelievably hard working woman.

Pat's special delight is her five grandchildren, and she gladly gives them wholeheartedly of her time, attention, care, and unqualified love. Her selflessness in behalf of her entire family is essentially unlimited.

This heroine of the Morton family is also an ardent gardener, skilled seamstress, cautious alpine skier, and golfer. Perhaps her other most treasured pursuit is in world travel--with her husband, with the entire family, or on ISU Alumni Association tours. A few of her favorite trips: In 1979 when Pat and Joe and all six children spent five weeks in Europe riding the trains and staying in youth hostels ... In 1986 and again in 1990 when the couple led groups of friends on golfing expeditions to Scotland and Ireland ... several visits to Switzerland (Pat's father's family homeland)... A six-week backpacking trip across Europe in 1992 marking a 40th wedding anniversary.... And five weeks late in 1994 wandering through Portugal and Spain. Future health and finances permitting, you will likely find the Morton’s either traveling or planning their next trip.

Submitted on 11/22/94

Paver Inscription:

"Pat Koch
Morton
Class of 1951
From your
Loving Family"