Lasting Memories

Elizabeth Root
Dec. 19, 1932-May 26, 2014
Menlo Park, California
Submitted by Julie Fouquet

Elizabeth "Bitsie" Root was born in 1932 and raised in Brooklyn, New York, where she attended Froebel Academy and then the Berkeley Institute (now known as the Berkeley-Carroll School).

She enjoyed summers on a farm and at a camp in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. After graduating from Connecticut College, where she majored in Early Childhood Development, she started her career in education with a teaching job in Englewood, New Jersey.

Bitsie?s sister had moved to the Bay Area with her husband and started a family. Bitsie came to visit and liked the area so much that she decided to move here as well.

She took a position teaching at Ford Country Day School in Los Altos Hills in 1958. Interested in starting a school, Bitsie joined Trinity Parish School, which opened in Menlo Park in 1961.

In 1978, she was a key figure in founding the Phillips Brooks School (PBS) in Menlo Park. Bitsie taught first grade at PBS until 1982, when she became Head of School. She held that position until she retired in June 1997.

During Bitsie?s tenure as Head of School, PBS grew to over 200 students in grades pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. She oversaw the school?s expansion into two sections per grade and the phasing out of sixth grade to meet marketplace demands.

Bitsie believed in teaching moral and social values as well as academics. Her vision laid the groundwork for an educational philosophy that has endured at Phillips Brooks School, where first-rate, engaging academics go hand-in-hand with thoughtful social-emotional learning.

Bitsie taught children that "It is who we are, not what we have, that is important." She also said, "When we teach responsibility, caring, and sharing, children come away with the understanding that we are on earth not just to serve ourselves, but to serve others."

According to a statement from Phillips Brooks School, "Bitsie touched and influenced many lives over the years. She left an incredible mark on the culture of PBS and left a legacy of educational excellence that will be honored by generations to come."

After retiring from PBS, Bitsie served on the boards of Castilleja School, the International School of the Peninsula, and the Charles Armstrong School. She also served on the boards of the California Association of Independent Schools and the National Association of Independent Schools.

In 2010, Bitsie received the Outstanding Educator Award from the Morrissey-Compton Educational Center. Traveling all over England was a favorite pastime. She also enjoyed gardening, daily walks, classical music and dogs. Until health problems slowed her down, she frequently cooked delicious dinners for family and friends.

Bitsie married William "Bill" Epperly at PBS on Aug. 15, 2009. A retired engineer and widower, Bill frequently met Bitsie while they were each walking in the neighborhood. They found that they had many mutual interests, including classical music, opera, ballet, books, bridge and travel. Dating and falling in love soon followed.

Bitsie and Bill enjoyed their continued retirement until about two months before Bitsie's death. Bitsie fell during one of their walks, and subsequent complications overwhelmed her. She passed away early on Memorial Day, May 26.

Bitsie is survived by her husband; her sister Patricia Fouquet; her brother Stephen Root; nieces Julie Fouquet, Lisa Root and Amy South; nephews David Fouquet and Michael Root, several grandnephews/nieces, and extended family.