Cherish Morse (2023-2023)
Daddy holding baby Cherish’s hand.
Cherish Morse passed away on November 20, 2023 at fourteen weeks, four days gestation. Her tiny body was delivered one week later. She was four and a half inches long and could just fit in the palm of her mother’s hand.
She was beautiful and perfectly formed, with darling, wee little hands and the cutest button nose. At fourteen weeks gestation, babies’ mouths have developed the muscles to smile, and Cherish was born with the tiniest little smile on her face.
We are so grateful we had the chance to say goodbye; we only wish we’d had the chance to say hello.
Cherish is preceded in death by her grandfathers, Donald Morse and Robert Walker Stratton, Jr.; her nephew, Jack Bardo Morse; her cousins, Baby Rodgers, Hadassah Kathleen Rodgers, and Nick Kaznoch; her uncle Robert Charles Stratton; her aunts Linda Gladden and Linda Oleson; her great-uncle Ken Oja and her great-aunt Carol Freeman.
She is survived by her father and mother, Matthew and Rachel Morse; her siblings, Hosanna Morse (who could not wait to tote her baby sister around and to have another little minion to do her bidding) and Harvest Morse (who was finally about to be promoted from the bottom of the totem pole); her grown siblings, Samuel Foil Jr., Erin Nicholson, Joshua Nicholson, and Elijah Morse; her grandmothers, Kathleen Stratton and Peggy Morse; her nieces, Henley Morse and Avi Nicholson; her aunts and uncles, Elizabeth and John Rodgers, Rebekah and Matt Sjoberg, Sarah and David Abbott, Jeremy Stratton, Ruthie Renshaw, Sharon Crawford, Donny and Kim Morse, Gregg and Lynn Gladden, Marc and Mo Gladden, and Mike and Tammy Gladden; her honorary aunts and uncle, Stephanie Brenden, Cynthia Lutz and Jack and Joy VonThaer; her great-uncles and great-aunts Dale Oja, Ed Oja, Rob Freeman and Tony and Margaret Chambers; and her cousins Daniel, Joseph and Luke Rodgers, Emmalia and Derek Sjoberg, Kayla, Mariah, Markus, Abby and Lydia Abbott, Peggy and Mikey Gladden and Nick and Madison Gladden, all of whom were eagerly anticipating the arrival of the newest member of the clan.
We would like to thank the kind staff of Alaska Regional Hospital and superheroes Vanessa Williams and Santhia Rose from Mat-Su Midwifery for their excellent care and for the love and dignity they showed our beautiful little daughter.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you take a few minutes out of your day to read one of your favorite books with a child or to share a special chocolate with a parent who has experienced loss (whether their baby passed away at four weeks gestation, after 80 long years of life, or anywhere in between).
The following poem is dedicated to our beloved daughter Cherish, and to the memory of all precious babies who lived every moment of their lives cradled in their mother’s womb.
“Wherever You Are, My Love Will Find You”
by Nancy Tillman (adapted by Rachel Morse)
I wanted you more than you ever will know,
So I sent love to follow wherever you go.
It’s high as you wish it. It’s quick as an elf.
You’ll never outgrow it . . . it stretches itself!
So climb any mountain . . . climb up to the sky!
My love will find you. My love can fly!
Make a big splash! Go out on a limb!
My love will find you! My love can swim!
My love is so high, and so wide and so deep,
It’s always right there, even when you’re asleep.
It never gets lost, never fades, never ends.
It’s unbreakable, unshakeable, my love never bends.
It can go any distance, it’s strong and it’s true.
There’s no place, not one, that my love can’t find you.
If you’re still my small babe or you’re all the way grown,
My promise to you is you’re never alone.
And even in heaven, or in a world far away,
My love will be there, all night and all day.
When my arms ache to hold you, and I cry with each breath,
Still my love is unstoppable, in life and in death.
You’re my angel, my treasure, my beautiful star,
And my love will find you, wherever you are.