Tulsa Health Department Unveils Memorial In Long-Time Employee's Memory

The Pam Rask Gathering Place is now open in honor of a longtime employee who died two years ago from COVID-19.

Friday, November 18th 2022, 6:00 pm



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The Tulsa Health Department is honoring a longtime employee who died two years ago from COVID-19.

The Pam Rask Gathering Place is now open where she used to work at the North Regional Health and Wellness Center.

"I'm speechless, there are no words, it's an honor to our family, it means a lot to me that my mom is still living and she's still remembered," her daughter Amber Copeland said.

Pam worked at the Health Department for 35 years and was the Chief of Adolescent and Child Health when she died in 2020 from COVID.

Her daughter Amber Copeland says it means so much to their family Pam is still on the minds of her coworkers.

"Not just us, because I think of her every day, you know I count the days that she's been gone, the 26th of every month is something special to me to remember," she said.

The space will be open for people to meet and relax and enjoy the fresh air, and the bench sits in Pam's honor.

Associate Executive Director Reggie Ivey says he worked with Pam for 28 years, and she was a true public health ambassador.

"This is a place where we hope when people come they feel the spirit of who Pam was, she was very kind, loving, humble, she was always willing to serve the community, she was a true servant leader," he said.

Amber says it's an amazing feeling that people will continue to know her mom and know the legacy that she gave to the health department.

She knows her mom would think it's pretty amazing, too.

"She'd be proud, she'd be proud of herself, my mom worked so hard for her education."

The Oklahoma Public Health Association also has the Pam Rask Memorial Scholarship for students going into public health.

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