The Canadian Catholic School Trustees’ Association is thrilled to announce the 2025 Higgins Award Recipient: Ms. Colleen Easson of Prince George, BC.
“Well done, good and faithful servant” Matthew 25:23
These are the words that come to mind by those who have witnessed and worked alongside Colleen Easson during her incredible legacy of dedication to the mission of Catholic education.
Throughout her forty-one years of service, Ms. Easson exemplified the humble, Christ-centred leadership that sets apart the mission of Catholic education. Ms. Easson’s dedication to this mission is highlighted by her unwavering commitment to serve where needed; promote the vital importance of Catholic schools locally, provincially and nationally; and lead others with sincere humility and grace.
While Ms. Easson’s commitment to Catholic education spans more than four decades, her passion for serving the needs of the Church began even earlier.
Shortly after having graduated from nursing school in 1969, Ms. Easson responded to an invitation to take part in the Frontier Apostolate – a Catholic movement of young people created to serve the needs of the Church in northern British Columbia. She left her home in Cornwall, Ontario to join more than 150 other youth in service of the Church.
As a nurse in the apostolate, Ms. Easson was considered a “breadwinner”; she donated her hospital salary to the needs of the diocese. Catholic schools were among the beneficiaries of this generosity, as they relied on the diocese to cover operating costs in those days.
She met the love of her life, Norm, during her time with the apostolate and after marrying, they settled into family life in Prince George.
In 1982, while expecting her fifth child, Ms. Easson began serving at St. Mary’s School as School Council Member and Chairperson. She remained on the council for 24 years. In 1988, she was elected to the Board of Directors for Catholic Independent Schools in the Diocese of Prince George and continued serving on the board for thirty-five years until she retired in September 2023.
Ms. Easson served Catholic education provincially on the Catholic Independent Schools Committee of BC (CISCBC), an association connecting Catholic schools across the province. As a member of the CISCBC, she was elected to be BC’s representative for the Canadian Catholic School Trustees’ Association (CCSTA), where she served from 1997 – 2023. Ms. Easson played a significant role in organizing and hosting the CCSTA AGM & Conference in Prince George in 2002.
In her nomination letter, Sandra Marshall, Superintendent of Catholic Independent Schools of Vancouver Archdiocese, shared,
“Her humble, selfless, and joyful service to Catholic education has been significant and has had an impact both provincially and across Canada for over four decades. Anyone who has worked with Colleen has experienced her keen sense of humour, fine organizational skills, and extensive institutional knowledge.”
The Bishop of Prince George, Most Reverend Stephen Jensen, witnessed much of Ms. Easson’s long legacy of service in his diocese. Reflecting on her admirable work in his nomination letter, he commented,
“Colleen’s sense of dedication, vision and joy have permeated her vocation over the past five decades. Her record of service and breadth of experience in Catholic education locally, provincially and federally would make her a worthy recipient of The Justice Higgins Award.”
CCSTA’s President Teresita Chiarella met Ms. Easson in 2015. “Colleen was an experienced board member with a wealth of knowledge,” she shared. “I appreciated her sense of humour and the fascinating stories she shared about her travels with her husband, Norm. After she left the board, I missed both her insights and her adventurous tales. Colleen dedicated many years of her life to serving on the CCSTA Board with humility and kindness. I am excited that she is receiving the Higgins Award this year!”
From attending and chairing countless meetings and tending to the needs of Catholic schools to networking with trustees from across the country and lobbying on Parliament Hill, Ms. Easson’s dedication to Catholic education at every level has left a significant mark. Her faithfulness to the mission of Canadian Catholic education for more than four decades has made her a most worthy recipient of the 2025 Higgins Award.
Colleen and her husband, Norm, live in Prince George, BC. They have six children and seven grandchildren. They remain active parishioners of Saint Mary’s Catholic Church and enjoy travelling together on international adventures.
Ms. Easson will receive the Higgins Award at the AGM & Conference in Halifax on June 7, 2025.
