Learning to give

Courtney Luke

Pat Morehead credits the lessons learned at the feet of her parents as her reason to want to help others. Both were ambitious but generous and taught their children the same habits.

Pat says that she was taught that if you see what you perceive as a need, then you should take care of that.

She was also taught to work hard and take care of herself. Though she and her husband, Dr. William Morehead met in a children's choir in Memphis after her family relocated from New York, they did not marry until he completed medical school and she worked her own way through college.

Prior to her marriage, she taught English in Wilson, Ark.

Once she was married and their family grew to include four children, she only worked inside the home for the next several years.

After moving to Malden in 1963 in order for Dr. Morehead to partner with Dr. Croom, Pat's volunteer opportunities began to expand quickly. She was the first woman ever elected to the Malden School Board. Pat believes the women of Malden really got behind her and helped her win the historic election.

During the 1960s, she was active in the Scouts serving as neighborhood chairman, day camp director, Cotton Boll Council Board and Cub Scout Den Mother.

While the Hank Watson Municipal Golf Course was being organized and constructed, she served as the Chairman of the Parks and Recreation Board and played a vital role in that project.

Pat has also spent time as an adult Sunday School teacher and elder at the First Presbyterian Church in Malden.

After the Pepsi plant left Malden, Pat was among some of the first to petition Southeast Missouri State University to bring a campus to Malden. The former Pepsi plant became the location of what would be called the Bootheel Education Center (BEC), but their first classes were taught from trailers. The committee worked diligently to raise money to build each room. The rooms were built by families who donated $10,000 to complete each room. Plaques with donor's names are placed in each classroom. She has been the been the Chairperson for the Advisory Board for the campus and remains on the Board to this day.

In the 1980s, a plan for a children's museum began to emerge. Once it was realized that the college had some extra space, that location was pursued.

A large amount of money was needed to establish the museum and according to Pat, help came from many directions. A particular gentleman devoted a portion of his retirement days in order to construct the interior spacing and walls. He was named Ernest Miles, and the Bootheel Youth Museum (BYM) volunteer award was named after him.

Pat has been the chair of the BYM Board and remains a contributing member participating in fundraisers such as the annual Mardi Gras.

In addition to these substantial endeavors, she has also served on the Missouri Governor's Committee on Welfare Reform, was on the board for the Center for Abused Children and was on the building committee for the current Malden Branch of the Dunklin County Library.

Pat has joined efforts with many others to attempt to promote her community and provide more opportunities for it's citizens.