Celebrating EOLONM Volunteers

By Julia Bergen

Bill Morrison came to End of Life Options New Mexico the way many volunteers do — through a deeply personal concern. Troubled by the reality of people facing painful deaths without adequate options, Bill wanted to do something meaningful. He learned about the organization at a gathering at Beverly Gholson’s home in 2022 and felt immediately drawn to its mission.

Having already been active with AARP where he acted as a public outreach volunteer, Bill was eager to bring that same energy to end-of-life options outreach. Today, Bill represents EOLO at health fairs and community events, talking with people one on one and sharing information about end-of-life options — work he finds both important and rewarding.

What makes Bill’s contribution all the more remarkable is that he brings to it a lifetime of curiosity and adaptability. He began his career at IBM in 1961, working on mainframes at a time when computers were the size of rooms. As technology evolved, so did Bill — he moved into data communications in the 1980s, worked across the country in cities including Tulsa, Little Rock, and Los Angeles, and retired as an IT manager in 2002.

Rather than slowing down in retirement, he taught himself website development after he and his wife moved to Santa Fe and volunteered his skills through the New Mexico Internet Professional Association, offering free services to friends, family, and local artists. Bill still works with a Navajo author whose work focuses on history from the Native American perspective.

At 92 years old, Bill Morrison is a reminder that the impulse to serve, to learn, and to show up for others is a life – long endeavor.