Colleen Bertella Morse
November 11, 1969 ~ November 20, 2023
Resided in:
South Portland, Maine
Portland - Colleen B. Morse, 54, passed away on November 20, 2023, at Maine Medical Center. She was born on November 11, 1969, in Alexandria, Virginia, the daughter of Eugene Lowell Morse and Mary Isabelle Goodwin.
Colleen grew up in Ellsworth and Orono, graduating from Orono High School in 1988, where she made lifelong friends. Family was the most important thing to Colleen, and while she has a large, close family of her own, she made everyone she surrounded herself with feel like family too. Throughout her life, she held various jobs, from bartending to l demolition, as well as aerobics instructor, and working on the Portland waterfront. She was a force of nature that brought light and energy to every room she entered. Colleen had a passion for life, enjoying social gatherings, concerts of all kinds, road trips, and karaoke. Her love of the beach and the ocean was unmatched, and she named her boat "Soulshine," reflecting her ability to share her true soul with everyone she encountered, by connecting with people as no one else could. Colleen lived as her authentic self, leaving a lasting impact wherever she went. All those in her world knew they were special to her, as she didn’t leave anything unsaid.
Colleen is predeceased by stepfather George Goodwin and is survived by her loving family, including her parents and stepparents Elizabeth Morse and Frederick Jordan Jr, ; children, Cielle Cloutier and husband Joey of Lisbon, Maxwell Addams of Auburn, and Ariana Burrell of Portland; fiancé, Shawn Leary of South Portland; sisters, Angela Blanchette and husband David of South Portland, Megan Black and husband Richard of Otis,; grandchildren, Boston Rogers and Isabella Cloutier; as well as her nieces and nephews, Chloe, Noah, James, Mackenzie, and Sylvie; and countless friends that she considered family.
Visiting hours celebrating Colleen's life will be held from 4:00 to 7:00pm on Thursday, November 30, 2023 at Conroy-Tully Walker South Portland Chapel,
1024 Broadway, South Portland; with additional visiting on Friday, December 1 from 10:00am to 12:00pm, with a Memorial Service at noon.
A Celebration of Life will also be held on January 8, 2024 at Dimillo’s Restaurant in Portland.
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You could always light up a room . Please be safe. Thoughts and prayers are with your family and friends.
Love you and thank you for blessing my life with your smile and friendship
Colleen was such a special person to me. She is and will always be so loved. So thankful I had the chance to be her friend. Hugs
Such a beautiful and amazing woman gone to soon loved working with her at coastal bait always had a smile an bubbly attitude with everyone she was around she will be missed
Rest in peace Colleen. You are a bright light watching over your family.
Colleen had the mist beautiful smile and energy. She lit up the room wherever she was! Rest in Peace Colleen!
Will miss you always. So blessed to be your friend. I love you Morse my blong alter ego ❤️
Great friends. ❤️
I’ll miss Colleen forever.
Colleen was the person you meet and instantly love and feel like you’ve known always . She always asked how I was . Always made me feel loved and we had great laughs and good times ! I will always remember her with a smile ❤️
My earliest memory of Colleen ( I am older, by nearly 10 years) is at our first official Morse family reunion that Nana Morse organized in 1974.
Colleen had her signature blonde hair in pigtails, wearing a little dress. But that didn’t slow her down at all! She was right in the middle of it all…running with all the cousins.
Colleen was fierce, feisty, sassy and bold.
She lived life large. I don’t know of anything that scared her or that she wouldn’t try at least once. She was brave to the bone.
I believe Colleen valued family most, above all else. She was a devoted mom, Mims and daughter…beloved cousin, niece and friend.
It seems like Colleen did everything! She loved the water. Had a boat and worked on a boat. Was the life of a good, or bad, party. She loved spending time with her family, especially her beloved grands, Boston and Isabelle. She loved being outdoors.
Coll loved life.
I love you, Coll. You are important to me, and our ( feels like ,thousand cousins. You light up our world, love.
I loved Coll’s spirit and zest for life. She did everything big and her best.
Colleen was so much fun to be around . At our cousin, Glenn and Areta’s wedding last year, Colleen’s table was the one making the most noise….ie having the best time. ❤️
Colleen taught me, during her life and devastatingly short illness, was to always say our I’m sorrys and our I love you’s…because we never know if we have a tomorrow.
Since she was little, she lived her life to the fullest…every single day. What a beautiful life lesson for us all.
Colleen’s fierce spirit is what made her so special to me. I have told some of our cousins that she had the emotional strength of a thousand Viking warriors.
I always admired Coll’s work ethic. As my Dad, her uncle Kendall Morse , was fond of saying, she worked harder than a borrowed mule.
She went to the wall in everything she did…she lived her life large. Which is why losing her has left such a massive hole.
I will never forget Colleen’s smile. She looked just like her grandmother, ( my aunt) Priscilla) a woman we all adored.
Colleen smiled with her soul.
Colleen left this world a better place simply by being here.
She lived hard, worked hard and loved hard. She did everything to the maximum and most of her abilities.
Colleen was the hippie of our family. She always walked to her own music and looked beautiful doing it.
She was devoted to her family, especially as a Mims to Boston and Tooty.
Our sweet Colleen was the spitfire of our family.
My memories of her go back to our first family reunions, with her in her little blonde pony tails. Feisty, funny and fierce, she always took life head on, wrestled it and stood it on its head.
We are grieving losing you deeply, Coll. Our family….and the world….has lost a very bright light. Go with God and watch over the family. You were, and remain,so deeply loved. ❤️
Colleen is my cousin…one of the best.
She made me laugh by laughing herself. 😃
Colleen is a shining star
A gem
Her son
I met Colleen through her mother Mary, when I dj’d and bounce in the old port
We had a lot of good times, from Webster Park, the train bridge and of course the ledges. Gonna miss you lady
I light this candle for my friend Colleen I miss her so much
My heart broken 💔 I miss you Colleen you was wonderful person a great friend ❤️
Colleen was a amazing person I miss her she will always be with us
❤️ I will miss you sweet soul
So very sorry for your loss, she will not be forgotten!
I can’t believe you’re gone 😞
My sincerest condolences.
Coleen was one of a kind.
The world is a sadder place without her in it.
Colleen was our Niece
She would make you laugh till you cried and I loved her with my whole heart
May this candle burn as bright as you ❤️
Colleens beautiful memory will live on. From meeting at OHS to today she was such a bright fun spirit every time I saw her. I so appreciate her as a friend. What an impact she made on so many. Love and prayers continue for her family and friends.
Rest easy and fly high beautiful
So sorry for your loss. Each time I saw Colleen she was smiling and I could feel her friendliness.
I can’t tell you how much it meant to us the night we shared a meal together and became connected.Coleen was a very bright light and we are so sorry for your loss.
Thinking of you all
Laurie and Mark Colwell your friends from Canada ❤
Colleen was the type of person that would give the shirt off her back to help others. She was always there for me no matter what time of the day. She always made you feel better no matter what the situation- she always put others above herself.
Colleen was a hard working woman. There was nothing she couldn’t do and she put a lot of pride into everything she did.
Colleen had the biggest heart. She loved her family and friends unconditionally ❤️
The hardest good-bye is the one I didn’t see coming. I’m going to miss you my friend. Rest easy Colleen !
Condolences and prayers to the children and the Morse family. I remember Collene from Hancock Grammar School
Condolences and prayers to her children and the Morse family. I remember Collene from Hancock Grammar School.
My heart is broken having to say goodbye to you. In the short time we knew each other, you left an everlasting impact on it.
Farewell my friend until we see each other again 💖
I met Colleen only once – but it was a meeting I will never forget – I was on my dinghy alone going to a cancer fundraiser of all things – I didn’t recognize anyone and started to feel a bit silly and was about to just head back – and of all of the sudden this beautiful woman called me over and asked if I wanted to join them on their boat – that meant the world to me – just that one moment was indicative of how Colleen was – I wish I got to know her better – to those who did know her well, my deepest condolences – she clearly will be missed.
💗💗💗
Want to send my sincere sympathy to her family
She was a treasure and the kindest soul
So sorry
Will
Miss her❤️💕🌸💐
From friends
Colleen, you will be truly loved and missed as a friend ♥️
You will always be the
” Ice Princess” to me. Make everyone smile with your smile where ever you are now!
Love, Stinky
So very sorry to hear of Colleen’s passing. I only remember her as a little girl and being a sweet smiling one
We love you crazy Colleen.
Rachel,& Alyssa
She lived every minute of every moment. With a beautiful smile.
I’ll always remember you, Colleen.
You will be missed my friend RIP
Moose Lodge
Actually when we first met many years ago I was talking to someone about my age and my birthday and me being at the time 40 something and my birthday being December 27th she spoke up and said “me too, we’re birthday buddies” she said she was the same age and I said and your birthday is December 27th? And she says well no, mine is November 11th but close enough. 🤣. We had quite a few laughs from that. But we were “birthday buddies” to her and so I was in.
RIP Birthday Buddy
May you rest in peace knowing your light will shine on.
I meet you in 2913 and you were always so nice to me over the years ❤You had great smile , big heart ….you will be missed by many and loved by all who meet you
Sending love, hugs and prayers to all ❤️
Thank you for sharing your light with us!
Forever friends ❤️
Colleen is an amazing beautiful person. We always had a pact that nobody should be alone on a holiday as she let me crash her families church and Easter dinner as well as Cielle and Joey’s 1st Thanksgiving dinner in their new home. And I enjoyed her spending New Year’s Eve with Erik and I. Love you girl and will always smile when I think of you
Sending love to your family. You will be missed <3
When I met Colleen my first words to her were “I love the smell of your perfume” and she replied “Rapture, by Victoria Secret”. Well of course, the next day I went out and bought some. The meaning behind “Rapture” is a feeling of intense pleasure or joy. Well my dear friend when we chatted and/or got together it was a pleasure and it’s been a pure joy to have known you. I am truly blessed to have had you as a friend and a part of my life. You will be missed.
Jealous of the Angels gathered round the throne tonight. To know Colleen was to love her, there was no in-between. The most genuine, kindest soul ever. I’ll miss you forever my friend…
If she met a battle, she fought it and won.
She was a warrior for many a victim for none.
–Wil Robinson