A well-known pastor from Windsor has passed away.
Bishop Clarence Leslie Morton Jr. died on Saturday, April 11 at the age of 77.
He was the pastor at Mt. Zion Full Gospel Church on McDougall St. since 1962.
Family friend Michael Brown says Pastor Morton Jr. was an icon to the faith community in both Windsor and Detroit.
"He wasn't intimidated or hoarding power, he wanted to see other people succeed, black, white you name it," says Brown. "He was one of the first pastors in the area actually to have both black and white ministers all the way back in the 60s if you could imagine how interesting that was in those times, it wasn't anything like now."
He says he'll never forget Morton Jr's longevity.
"Can you imagine a job for over 50 years, from 1962 until 2020," says Brown. "I mean he was still preaching in January of this year so that's an example of longevity, of patience, of endurance."
Photo courtesy: Michael Brown (family friend)
Brown says Morton Jr. was a great man.
"He just had a really kind demeanour and he put everyone ahead of himself," says Brown. "He saw the good in you and brought it out of you."
Brown says he first met Morton Jr. in 1995.
He says a Celebration of Life ceremony will take place in September, the month of Morton Jr's birthday.