Paula L. Kinsey Morse

Paula passed away March 9, 2016, in Whitehall, Mont., surrounded by her family and loved ones. She was born April 4, 1956, to Sylvia and Chester Kinsey, in Kalispell, Mont. At this time, her father was working on the Hungry Horse Dam. In the following years, her family moved all across Montana, and finally settled in the Helena Valley.

In April 1976, she married into the Morse family in Helena, Mont. She spent the next 25 years living in Denton, Mont., raising her two sons. Always a gifted artist, she took up pottery making.

In 2001, Paula moved to Whitehall, where she worked from her home making pottery and providing childcare for many area children. She became a foster parent and provided a loving home to four children over the years.

Never tall in life she responded to a higher calling in 2007 and began her new life as pastor in Wyoming at the Lovell and Deaver United Methodist churches. Every summer she traveled from Wyoming to California to attend courses at Claremont School of Theology. In 2013, she completed a study for licensed local pastors of the United Methodist Church.

She then moved to Clark Fork, Idaho, in 2014 and continued following her calling at the Clark Fork, as well as, Heron and Noxon, Mont., Methodist churches. She resided in Idaho for just over a year, when she moved back to Whitehall, in late 2015, to be closer to her sons. She touched countless lives through her ministry.

Paula is survived by her two sons, Jeffery (Cheryl) and Dustin (Summer) Morse; her grandchildren, Mathew, Liberty, Ryker, and Henry; and her siblings, Deva (Glen) Trebas, Nona (Bruce) Patterson, Mary Kinsey (Curtis Stanghill), and Edward (Connie) Kinsey. Her beloved aunt Dodie Ridenour, Doris Romanisko, and many members of the Morse Family also survive her.

A special thanks to Mary Kinsey, Karen Rae, Karen Disney, Sue DeBree, Susan Adams-Trembath, Susan Bohannon Jones, Curtis Stanghill, and Bridget Morse for caring for Paula during her final days. Additional thanks to all those who contacted Paula in her final days and those who kept her in their thoughts.

Paula asked that memorials be made to local small Methodist churches or to the family to be distributed among the churches that she so deeply loved.

A celebration of life ceremony will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 18, at the Whitehall Trinity United Methodist Church. Graveside services will be prior to the services at 11 a.m. at the Whitehall Cementary.

Having a deep love of music, Paula's wishes include a desire to have music after the service. Therefore, everyone, both professional and amateur, are encouraged to bring an instrument and share his or her talent.

The Methodist Church in Heron, Mont. held a celebration of Pastor Paula's life on Thursday, March 17.