Morette Family Builds Up People to Help Build a Better Community

The Morette family and their family’s construction company, Morette Company, have helped build Baptist Health Care, literally. They have been involved in expansions within the current Baptist Hospital campus, renovations at Gulf Breeze Hospital and the construction of affiliate Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine. Now they have plans to build Baptist spiritually and holistically. In honor of their $250,000 gift, a healing garden in the town square on the new Baptist Health Care campus located at the corner of Brent Lane and Interstate 110 will be named the Morette Healing Garden. 

“Our family’s involvement with Baptist first began with business dealings,” Mike said. “But then different things happened in our family to put us personally involved and invested with the incredible people at Baptist.”

Patriarch Rick Morette passed away in July of 2009 after a battle with cancer. He spent countless weeks at Gulf Breeze and Baptist hospitals where wife Sharon and son Mike say that Rick was so well cared for by everyone.

“From the doctors and nurses to the housekeeping staff and lunch servers, everyone was so kind to our family,” Mike said. “We never forgot that loving experience despite the sad circumstances. People at Baptist act with compassion; they don’t just talk about it. We are honored to give back to Baptist who has been so generous to our family.”

Sharon said that she spent a lot of time outside the walls of Baptist Hospital praying for her husband. In her heart she knew that a beautiful healing garden at the new campus could help people going through difficult times, just as she and her family experienced.

“I felt Rick would like that, a healing garden in his memory,” Sharon said. Mike echoed his mom’s sentiments remarking how they want future families to have a place where they can be and reflect in peaceful outdoor surroundings. Son Mike and his wife, Laura Rae, along with Sharon’s daughter, Nikki Morette Bell, and her husband, Rob, wholeheartedly agreed.

“I’m most excited for the new Baptist Health Care campus because I want the exterior to match the beautiful interior and heart of what Baptist truly is and stands for, their mission of helping people throughout life’s journey,” Mike said. Mike, Sharon and their family are passionate about the Pensacola community and helping to make it a better place to live.

“Rick left big shoes to fill,” Mike said. “But I’m proud to follow in his footsteps. I’ve had many mentors and wonderful leaders from our community generously share their time and knowledge, which has helped me to become a better leader. This, in turn, has enabled me to encourage and teach our team to give more so that we may all be more, whether building brick and mortar structures or nurturing the growth of a strong and caring community together.”