UMaine’s Fogler Legacy Award honors four generations of Windham family

By Lorraine Glowczak

Greg Morrison, a 2012 Windham High School graduate, had always dreamed of attending the University of Maine in Orono and he was waiting for a response after submitting his application. Despite being accepted by two other colleges, Greg’s heart was heavy since an acceptance letter had not yet arrived from UMaine.

Generations of the Morrison Family of Windham gather to
celebrate being honored as this year's recipient of the
Fogler Legacy Award presented by the University of
Maine Orono to families who have attended and
supported the school over the years. COURTESY PHOTO

“All I ever really wanted is to be a Black Bear,” Greg said at the dinner table one evening to his mother Candace and his father Mark, UMaine Class of 1986. A few days later, Greg was relieved to receive his acceptance letter from UMaine, fulfilling his lifelong dream and following in his family's footsteps. He graduated with a business degree in 2017. His sister, Kristen, a 2008 WHS graduate, also earned a business degree in 2012, marking the fourth generation of Black Bears.

This long-standing Morrison family tradition led the group to be recognized with a special award this past April at the UMaine campus in Orono where they received the Fogler Legacy Award.

Each year, this unique and special award is presented to a family with a strong tradition of attending UMaine, usually spanning at least three generations, where multiple members have demonstrated outstanding service to the university, alumni association, community, and/or their profession.

“I’m proud of my family. I am proud of my heritage.” said Alola Morrison of Windham, a 1959 UMaine graduate who is Greg and Kristen’s grandmother, as well as Mark’s mother. "Growing up in a military family meant we moved frequently for my father's job as a mechanical engineer in the Coast Guard, so I was constantly moving to different towns and attending different schools. I never felt like I had a home base."

But UMaine was the one constant for Alola.

“My father and mother were college sweethearts,” Alola said of her father Alvin Giffin and mother Viola Purinton, both 1931 UMaine graduates. “My parents were highly involved in campus activities during their college years, and they set that example. Mom was a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority and Dad was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. They remained active in the alumni association for 50 years. We would often return to Maine to visit, and while here, we always stopped by the UMaine campus. I knew I would eventually go to college there, and with some luck and hard work, I did. UMaine was, and still is, my home.”

Much like her parents, Alola met her own sweetheart at UMaine. In 1961, she married Joseph Morrison, UMaine Class of 1959. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2017.

Although Mark Morrison and his siblings grew up close to the UMaine campus in nearby Orrington, they had the same experiences as their mother and father.

“Growing up, my parents and grandparents frequently took us to UMaine to watch many sporting events and attend homecoming weekend, which was always special,” Mark Morrison said. “Just like my mom, I knew UMaine was the school for me.”

He said that as a close-knit family, the bonds and relationships they developed with each other created heartfelt memories and stories and he reflected on two stories that mean the most to the extended Morrison family and those close to them.

“What really amazes me the most is the level of commitment to education my great grandparents had during turbulent times,” he said, speaking of his great grandfather, Dr. Watson Purinton and his wife Nellie Jenness Purinton, who were supporting their children’s education after the Stock Market Crash in October 1929.

“It was during the time of the “Roaring Twenties” which came to a collapse with the Stock Market crash of 1929, creating the Great Depression,” Mark Morrison said. “Watson and Nellie had two children still pursuing their education after the crash. My grandmother Viola was studying Home Economics at UMaine, while her brother William (Class of 1927) was in Medical School at Tufts. It was Watson and Nellie's unwavering commitment to educate their children through college, highly unusual at the time that created the legacy. This led to the culmination of having four generations of UMaine graduates.”

The Morrison/Giffin/Purington family’s dedication to college education continued when the Morrison family faced their own tough times.

“In the summer of 2009, my brother Ken tragically died in a swimming accident while on vacation in Prince Edward Island, leaving three children behind, ages 11, 9, and 5,” Mark said. “The whole family pulled together to support Ken’s three kids as they grew up close by in Biddeford with their mother. We all resolved to see that Ken's kids go on to college. In spite of this huge loss, all three children thrived in school and went on to earn college degrees. His two sons followed the Black Bear tradition, Connor (Class 2017) and Joe (Class 2023), earned engineering degrees while Olivia earned a business degree from St. Joseph's College.”

Although college education was and is important to the Morrison family, Alola recognizes the importance of different paths in life.

“I’m very proud of my family and education, but education isn’t just college,” she said. “Education is in the trades, too. This is just as important. We need each other for a successful society.”

Mark Morrison agreed with his mother saying that having a close relationship with family is one of the biggest factors for their success.

“It is true that we all have individual accomplishments, as we strive to do our best, and also try to do the right thing,” he said. “But we would be far less successful as individuals if it weren't for the love, support, and close relationships we have as a family.” <