Marcy Morrison

Born in 1935 in Watertown, New York, to Esther and Harry Bleiberg, Marcy moved to Queens when her father was drafted into the war effort (WWII) making uniforms for soldiers. While attending Queens College in 1957, she met her life partner, Howard “Buddy” Morrison. The couple recently celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary and still found things to talk about. Together, they raised two daughters, Liane Morrison and Brenda Morrison, embraced two son in-laws, Alan Greenberg and Brian Shaw, and doted on three terrific grandchildren: Gillian Morrison Greenberg (Conor Cashner), Ethan Morrison Greenberg, and Shoshi Morrison Shaw.

A teacher by vocation and a public servant by choice, Marcy dedicated her life to education, civic engagement, mental health awareness, open space preservation, and advocacy for women, children, and the underserved. She broke barriers and paved the ways for women taking leadership roles throughout the Pikes Peak Region. Marcy’s public service career was a series of “firsts.” In 1973, she became the first woman elected to the Manitou Springs Board of Education and later served as its first female president. Around the same time, she was appointed Chair of the El Paso County Board of Recreation and Parks, where she championed the preservation of open space and was instrumental in creating the Bear Creek Nature Center in Colorado Springs.

In 1984, Marcy shattered another glass ceiling by becoming the first woman elected to the El Paso County Board of Commissioners. Despite facing tough elections and being underestimated by political opponents, she embraced roles that others dismissed, such as liaison to Public Health and Human Services. Her commitment to these areas sparked a lifelong interest in health care and public health policy, leading to her appointment to the State Board of Health by Governor Roy Romer.

After serving eight years as county commissioner, Marcy again defied expectations by running for the Colorado General Assembly in 1992. As a moderate, pro-choice, Jewish Republican in a changing political climate, she faced challenges both from within her party and beyond. Yet constituents across the political spectrum admired her integrity, compassion, and common sense. She became known as a courageous voice for programs supporting women, children, and mental health at a time when social policy was shifting sharply to the right in Colorado.

Following her legislative service, Marcy returned home to Manitou Springs but could not stay retired for long. In 2001, she was elected Mayor of Manitou Springs, where she served until 2006. Residents fondly recall her walking through town, greeting neighbors, encouraging civic engagement, and even picking up trash along the way. Under her leadership, she advocated for major improvements for downtown Manitou. An institution that was very dear to her was the Manitou Carnegie Library, where she was a devoted, weekly patron. She served on the Library Board for many years and was most recently part of a successful fundraising effort to complete a $4.2 million renovation to restore and expand the historic building.

Marcy was also a founder of Artemis, a network of women dedicated to elevating women’s voices in public life—a group that later evolved into Pikes Peak Women.

In 2007, at the age of 72, Marcy was appointed by Democratic Governor Bill Ritter as Colorado’s Commissioner of Insurance—her “dream job,” as she described it—where she continued to improve the lives of Coloradans through her dedication to public service.

Marcy Morrison’s life was defined by love—for her family, her community, and the ideals of fairness, compassion, and civic responsibility. She inspired countless people to get involved, ask questions, and work toward a better future for all.

A celebration of Marcy’s remarkable life will be at Temple Shalom. Donations can be directed to the Manitou Art Center or Westside Cares.