Tulsa Health Department Renames Service Award In Honor Of Late Employee

The Tulsa Health Department is renaming their service excellence award after an employee who died from COVID-19 complications in December. 

Pam Rask served the department for more than three decades before her death. The award will now be named the Pam Rask Service Excellence Award. 

Rask's daughter, Amber Copeland, said it's hard to put into words what this means for their family, but that it is a true honor. 

Rask died of COVID-19 complications in December after working 35 years for the Tulsa Health Department. Her daughter said this is something to be proud of. 

"It's indescribable, I can't even describe how I feel inside. My mom - she was my hero," Copeland said. 

Copeland said the past few months without her mom have been heartbreaking, but it makes her smile to know the Health Department is doing something to honor her. 

"My mom was very loving, caring, her family was first, and then everything else fell, her career fell behind it," Copeland said. 

Rask’s family will even get to pick who gets the award and share how that person reminds them of her. 

Copeland said she knows this would mean a lot to her mom. 

"I think she would be happy. I know she's up there watching down on us and she's probably like, ‘see!! be proud,’" Copeland said.

The award winner will be announced on April 23.