Community honors, remembers Mikalynn Morris

Submitted photo##East wall of the Young Life building, 14th and Ford streets, bears the heartfelt messages of support from friends of Mikalynn Morris, who died from suicide last week.

##Mikalynn Morris

Dozens of students and community members paid tribute last week to Mikalynn Morris in words and images written in chalk on the south wall of the McMinnville Youth Life building.

Mikalynn, 15, a McMinnville High School sophomore, died by suicide on Oct. 9. Since the tragedy, the family has expressed gratitude for the many ways the community has shown support.

The Morris family announced that a celebration of life is scheduled for Mikalynn at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20, at the Linfield University gymnasium.

The chalk tribute started spontaneously Oct. 10 at the Young Life facility, 535 N.E. 14th St., McMinnville. Area director Michael Rilee reported that after word spread about Mikalynn’s death, friends turned up at the facility, already a gathering place located just a block from the high school. Young Life purchased the house in early 2024 and remodeled it this summer. The program provides gathering space for study, games and Bible study, and serves lunch to students each Wednesday.

Rilee and pastor Shaun Strong, who assists at Young Life, had anticipated that some students would come, but when they arrived on Thursday about 25 young people had already assembled.

“We quickly realized we needed to meet their physical needs, so we brought in a bunch of pizza and other snacks,” Rilee said. “And we got a bunch of chalk.”

The drawing started on the concrete driveway but soon students put their expressions on the siding and windows.

“We wanted to give them a creative way to express themselves,” Rilee said. “We just painted it earlier this year and didn’t realize at the time it was the perfect color for a chalkboard.”

Messages in many cases appeared dedicated to Mikalynn directly, as well as to others in emotional crisis:

“Gone but not forgotten”; “You will be missed”; “You never know the silent battles people are going through”; “You are not alone”; “You are worthy”; “#we love you so much.”

When school got out Thursday, more students arrived, and by the end of the day an estimated 125 students had been there. The Morris family arrived after hearing about the project, and thanked the students. Grief and gratitude were among the deeply felt emotions, Rilee said.

The family has established the Mikalynn Morris Memorial Scholarship Fund, an effort already supported by local businesses from a tattoo artist to garden supply providers.

Donations can be made at square.link/u/vPhaJPix, or checks may be sent to Mikalynn Morris Memorial Fund, 1271 N.E. Highway 99W No. 446, McMinnville, OR 97128.