Elizabeth Jean Morales
Aug. 21, 1936-Jan. 22, 2019
Palo Alto, California

Elizabeth Jean Rose-Morales died on Jan. 22. A native of New Jersey, she was born to Irene Temple and John Rose on Aug. 21, 1936. She attended Mt. St. Dominic Academy in Caldwell, New Jersey, graduating in 1956; earned her nursing degree at St. Joseph's Hospital, School of Nursing in Paterson, New Jersey, graduating in 1959; and her master's degree in Personnel Management at Redlands University in 1985. Over a long productive career, she accomplished much. She worked as an orthopedic nurse at Palo Alto Hospital before its merger into Stanford University Hospital (now Medical Center). She later accepted a position as the nursing department's "nursing unit space planner," where she applied her expertise to Stanford's ER/Trauma Center and all nursing units, especially the intensive-care units (ICU's). Known as “Ms. Rose” at Stanford University Hospital, she transformed the Neonatal ICU (when Dr. Sunshine was director) by acquiring equipment needed despite budget shortfalls: “Because those kids needed the latest technology to become healthy,” she said. For the first hospital expansion project in 1972, Ms. Rose designed the North ICU floor plan, which was copied globally by many hospitals, including ones in Japan, Germany and the U.K. Ms. Rose represented the Nursing Administration interests during the acquisition of Children's Hospital. She also orchestrated merger plans combining Stanford medical center with UCSF Medical Center during 1999 and was asked to "return everything back" when the merger did not work. She coordinated the development of nursing protocols for open-heart surgery (under Dr. Norman Shumway) and organ transplant. Ms. Rose became part of Stanford hospital's facilities department (under Jim McNally, director) where she was assigned to the Hospital Facilities Planning Unit. Between 1990 and 2000, Ms. Rose located, developed and managed 22 satellite clinics sites along the Peninsula. At one point, she had hired, oriented and managed more 400 nurses, many of whom became 'head nurses' of their unit. She chose to retire in 2000. Ms. Rose will be remembered by her colleagues for her sensitive, humane management style (she was remarkable as a 'problem solver'.), as well as her wisdom, kindness, common sense and irrepressible humor. In 1986, Ms. Rose and her husband, Hilbert Morales, acquired ownership of the English-Spanish language weekly El Observador in San Jose to disseminate 'factual, truthful and useful information' to the general community with focus on its Hispanic and Latino residents. (She served as its CFO from 1986 to 2016). In addition, the nonprofit El Observador Foundation, Inc. was organized to provide counseling/mentor services; grants in aid; and journalism-mass communications internships in partnership with San Jose State University's School of Journalism & Mass Communication. (Today, EO is digitalized and may be viewed at el-observador.com.) When the couple was married at All Saints Episcopal Church in Palo Alto in 1981, she became stepmother to Mr. Morales' three children: Linda, Tony and Mary. All four of her grandchildren fondly knew her as “Grandma Betty.” Ms. Rose was preceded in death by her parents, John and Irene Rose, Montclair, New Jersey; brother, Alan P. Rose, and sister, Virginia Ann Rose Bridges, both of Columbia, South Carolina. She is survived by husband, Hilbert Morales, a Palo Alto resident since 1960; three step-children, Linda M Russinsky of Bakersfield; Anthony 'Tony' Morales of Capitola and Mary S. Rustia of San Francisco; four grandchildren, Sage Russinsky of New Orleans, Louisiana; Laura Rose Russinsky of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Gabriella “Gabby” Rustia, Chicago, Illinois; and Robert Diego Rustia, of San Francisco; two brothers, John F Rose, Jr., MD, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Frederick W Rose, esq.,Rumson, New Jersey, and sister, Patricia Rose Cregut, of Sarasota, Florida; and numerous nephews and cousins. She died peacefully while sleeping on Jan. 22. May her soul rest in peace.