We hate that we have to write this. However, we know our sister, Colleen Marie Morgan, 58, of Lafayette, Indiana, formerly of Springfield, Illinois, would want us to let you know that her adventure here has ended, and her next one has begun. Colleen died on Thursday, March 5, 2026, thirteen years after being diagnosed with breast cancer that metastasized to her brain. We are heartbroken.

Colleen was born at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, and grew up in Texas, Florida, and Indiana. She attended Delphi Community High School before heading to Purdue University, where she earned her degree in fine arts. She later went on to earn a law degree from the University of Illinois.

Colleen devoted her entire legal career to public service as an appellate attorney at the Illinois Office of the State Appellate Defender. She was a proud member of the Illinois Bar Association and was qualified to argue appeals before the Illinois Supreme Court, the Northern District of Illinois, and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Colleen was so much more than her career, though. She had a love of learning that fueled her many talents, such as hand-building pottery and other ceramics; crafting jewelry; print-making; and pouring her heart into creative writing. She even taught herself video editing, crafting award-winning music videos way before TikTok started trending!

Colleen was a prolific reader, devouring books spanning a diverse range of topics. Not only was she a science fiction fan who loved the epic Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate, and Lord of the Rings sagas (as well as the movies!), she also enjoyed history, science, and mysteries. Colleen was an unapologetic enthusiast of Marvel and DC superhero blockbusters, collecting comic books from a young age and attending comic book and other fan conventions until she was no longer physically able to do so.

All through her life, Colleen loved playing board and card games, and more importantly, cheating at them. As kids, we quickly learned to never let her be the banker in Monopoly, the Game of Life, or any other game that required you to count fake money. Colleen didn’t pilfer Monopoly money to win, though – that was never the goal. For her, it was all about the thrill of getting away with it. (Side note: she usually got caught.)

At times Colleen could be impulsive. In 2010, she decided she wanted to run the Chicago Marathon, so she ran the Chicago Marathon –without training for it. Colleen may have walked more than she ran the last few miles, but she finished. Quitting was never in Colleen’s vocabulary.

That same stubborn determination fueled Colleen’s passion for charity. Colleen supported our mother’s struggle with breast cancer, walking in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk for Breast Cancer Research several times and participating in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life in both Lafayette and Springfield. Colleen continued to participate in the Relay for Life even after she herself became ill (completing her final Relay in a wheelchair), raising thousands of dollars to support research into a cure for this horrible disease. She gave her time, her energy – and her blistered feet – to causes she believed in.

Colleen was tough – and always, always, incredibly (and sometimes, infuriatingly) independent. Even while undergoing debilitating cancer treatments and dealing with balance and mobility issues, Colleen continued to travel extensively on her own, seeing her many friends throughout the country. She had a goal of visiting every state in the Union, and made it to 33 before she set off on her final journey. Colleen even achieved a lifelong goal of visiting Europe – embarking on a strenuous two-week Rick Steves Tour, hiking, walking, and sleeping her way through France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and Italy. On that trip, she saw the Pantheon in Rome, the Eiffel Tower and the Mona Lisa in Paris, the statue of David in Florence, and many other artworks she had only ever seen in art books. Along the way, she tried to eat her weight in gelato and even tried snails!

Finally, Colleen was a lifelong animal lover who rescued many cats over the years and volunteered at the Springfield Animal Protective League. She only had one dog of her own (her beloved Welsh corgi, Piper), but enjoyed (mostly) being an “aunt” to our dogs, cats, and other furry friends. She adored Hello Kitty’s friend, Chococat, and we suspect the resemblance to her own black cats was not a coincidence.

Colleen was preceded in death by her mother, Kathleen Morgan, her father, and two older sisters. She is survived by her sisters and brother, all of whom loved her fiercely and will miss her more than words can express (though we suspect this tribute to Colleen will give you a glimpse at the Colleen-sized hole her passing has left in our lives). She is also survived by her beloved cats, Schnorples, Tansy, and Lola, and will no doubt be greeted by Piper, Daisy, Socks, Spazmo, Jojo, Bertram, and Scooter, who have all been patiently waiting for her at the Rainbow Bridge.

Although our sister’s life was short when measured in years, she made the most of every second of it in the warmth she brought to every room; the fierce loyalty she showed for those she loved; the miles she walked for others; the animals she rescued; and the beauty she put into the world through her art and her writing. This lyric from “Thank You for the Music,” a song by ABBA, one of Colleen’s favorite bands, sums up her view on life to a tee (another of Colleen’s other favorites was the German death-metal group, Rammstein – be glad we picked ABBA):

“I’ve been so lucky,
I am the girl with golden hair.
I wanna sing it out to everybody,
What a joy, what a life, what a chance!”

Colleen was brilliant; she was stubborn; she was wickedly funny; she was kind; and she was ours. We were so deeply lucky to have had her.

– Belinda, Theresa, and Richard

A Celebration of Life will be held at an upcoming date. Colleen would want you to attend – to laugh, to tell stories, and to remember that life is too short not to cheat at Monopoly.

Memorial contributions in Colleen’s name may be directed to the Springfield Animal Protective League, Best Friends Animal Society, or a charity of your choosing. She would have appreciated the gesture – though she no doubt would have had an opinion about it.