Andrea Morris is retiring from the Tsartlip First Nation Band Office after 30 years, but her impact on the community will not soon be forgotten.
We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude and best wishes to Andrea Morris, who recently retired after an extraordinary 30-year tenure with Tsartlip First Nation Administration.
Andrea’s time working with Tsartlip First Nation has been nothing short of remarkable. Throughout the years, her dedication and unwavering commitment has touched the lives of many community members and shaped the very essence of our administration.
Andrea started as a home support worker with the Nation over thirty years ago, eventually moving into janitorial, reception, and administrative office work. In the beginning of Andrea’s career, life at the Band Office was very different. The Office was in a tiny white house on the corner of Stelly’s and Tsartlip and staffed only 6 employees including Andrea. During that time, Andrea answered phones and talked with the many community members who would stop by to purchase cigarettes, a regular function of the Office 30 years ago.
As the Nation grew, so too did Andrea’s responsibilities and skill set. She spent her last 15 years with the Nation working in Accounts Receivable, where she was much more than an employee; she was a mentor, a guide, and a much-needed sounding board to so many staff and community members alike. Her daughter-in-law and former coworker at the Office, Tara Morris, shared “her knowledge, not only working knowledge but traditional knowledge and characteristics, is definitely that of a strong First Nations woman.”
By the end of her tenure, Andrea had worked with a whopping fourteen Band Managers. We look back fondly not only upon her vast organizational knowledge, but also on her warmth and open-door approach to the workplace. Countless times community members have sat in the “Dear Abby” chair in her office and found a shoulder to lean on, a receptive and willing ear to listen, and sage counsel. In Tara’s words, “her advice has touched many lives as she had that mothering touch about her.”
Her kindness was matched with an ability to “tell it like it is,” and a stand-out sense of humor. She never missed an opportunity to have a bit of fun, and particularly enjoyed Halloween. The Office will always remember when she tried to get a tall colleague to dress up as Big Bird!
We thank Andrea for her unwavering dedication and for being the glue that kept the Office together for 30 years. There is no way to know where we would be without her many years of dedication, impressive knowledge, and seemingly endless compassion, but we certainly would not be the thriving office we are today. She will be sorely missed as a colleague, mentor, and friend. On behalf of Tsartlip First Nation leadership and administration, we ask the community to join us in wishing her a retirement filled with joy, relaxation, and exciting new adventures.
