Dawn L. (Suckling) Morden

Jan 26, 1957 – June 3, 2022

Dawn L. (Suckling) Morden, 65, of Altoona, passed away on June 3, 2022, at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center with her family by her side.

She was born January 26, 1957, in Fort Belvoir, VA to MaryLou (Morris) and the late Robert Suckling. Mrs. Morden is survived by her son, Jamin; mother, MaryLou; sister, Lisa Cronin (Paul); brothers: Kevin (Louise) and Scott (Lori); nieces: Nicole, Chelsea, and Kayleigh; nephew, Matthew; and her dog, Meggie. She was preceded in death by her son, Brian.

Dawn spent her 36-year career teaching students of all ages and varieties, from gifted support students to those struggling to graduate. She believed in education as a means for bettering the lives of her students, as well as the overall human condition. A woman of deep faith, Mrs. Morden attended First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Altoona, as well as Duncansville Evangelical Lutheran Church.

During her life, Dawn expressed her faith through music as well as philanthropy. As an organist, she provided solo music and accompanied choirs, instrumentalists, cantors, and congregations. Performing nearly every Sunday, Dawn brought experience and flexibility to every service she accompanied, contributing music to congregations in central PA for decades.

Dawn was a member and officer (organist) of Hollidaysburg Chapter #471 of the Order of the Eastern Star. She was honored to serve as Worthy Matron during 2019-2020 and due to the COVID-19 pandemic served in 2020-2021 when she incorporated the theme she lived her life by: “It Is Better to Light a Candle than Curse the Darkness.”

Following the loss of her son Brian to cancer, she established the Brian Morden Foundation in 2003. The foundation has three goals: to fund Ewing's Sarcoma and childhood cancer research; to support patients, family, and staff of pediatric oncology units; and to provide funding for "Brian Morden Memorial" higher education scholarships. Scholarships are provided to cancer survivors as well as students with interests in medicine or in music, one of Brian's passions in life.

A service will be held in celebration of her life on July 1, 2022, at 2:00 pm at Duncansville Evangelical Lutheran Church (1200 4th Ave, Duncansville, PA 16635) with a light reception and fellowship to follow in the Family Life Center. The service will be streamed live on the church’s Facebook page. For those traveling from a distance, a block of rooms has been reserved at a group rate at the Quality Inn & Suites located at 3306 Pleasant Valley Boulevard, Altoona, PA 16602. Contact the hotel directly at 814-944-9661 and mention the Morden Funeral. Cremation service by Sorge Funeral Home & Crematory Inc., Hollidaysburg.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, donations may be sent to the Brian Morden Foundation: https://www.brianmordenfoundation.org/product/donation/.

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