This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: marcenath158 Surnames: Roush, Traina, Sherrod, Stoltzfus, Harrison Classification: obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newmexico.counties.donaana/5326/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Esther Sherrod-Roush, former NMSU Nursing Department Head died in San Antonio, TX of natural causes on March 24, 2011. Mrs. Sherrod-Roush was born Esther Traina in 1920 in Schenectady, New York to Rev. and Mrs. Traina moved their family to New Jersey where Esther grew up and attended Montclair State Teachers College eventually teaching high school. After her first husband, Harold Roy died in World War II Esther moved to NYC and worked for the NY Railroad system selling tickets in Penn Station. In December 1944, she moved to Pontiac, Michigan to work for the Camp Fire Girls and soon became the Executive Director. She also worked for the Pontiac City Recreation Department and during that time set up a program for hospitalized kids. They called themselves the "play ladies" and it was here that Mrs. Sherrod-Roush's interest in nursing was first sparked. Before long she was an Administrative Assistant at Pontiac General Hospital. She was married to Ralph Sherrod in 1947 and in 1952 she enrolled in Yale University School of Nursing finishing her BSN at Wayne State University in 1955. By 1956, she was the Obstetrical instructor at St. Joseph's Hospital's Mc Cauley School of Practical Nursing and 1957 became director until 1963 when she returned to Wayne State University to complete her Master's Degree in Nursing. Sherrod-Roush was the founder of the LPN program for the Board of Education in Pontiac, Michigan and ran it for six years before moving to Ferris State College ! in Big Rapids, MI. where she started the Nursing "Step" Program whereby students first earned their LPN and then their ADN. Such "career ladder" programs made advancing in nursing possible for many students who would not have advanced otherwise and these programs were instrumental in providing a strong, professional nursing workforce for the rapidly evolving medical world. In 1974, Mr. and Mrs. Sherrod moved to Las Cruces and joined NMSU's College of Human & Community Services (now College of Health & Social Services) where Esther once again created a career ladder for nurses: LPN to ADN and adding the BSN rung in 1984. During her tenure at NMSU Sherrod was also one of the founders of the Mesilla Valley Hospice. Mr. and Mrs. Sherrod retired in 1985 and a year latter they sold their home and hit the road for five years of fun and adventurous RV-ing throughout the United States. The gasoline shortage in 1991 forced them to buy a "home base" in Las Cruces where Ralph Sherrod died two years later. In 1995, Esther Sherrod married Donald C. Roush, former Vice President of NMSU and they resided in Las Cruces until his death October 21, 2001. Esther Sherrod Roush moved to San Antonio, TX in 2003 to live with her niece Carol Stoltzfus, a graduate of the NMSU nursing program. Sherrod-Roush is survived by her niece Carol Stoltzfus, nephew John Harrison, grand nieces Andrea Stoltzfus, Rachel Harrison and Maureen Harrison and grand nephew Robert Stoltzfus. At her request no Memorial Service will be held. Donations may be made to the Mesilla Valley Hospice in her name. Published in Las Cruces Sun-News on March 30, 2011 Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.