Rose Steve had a great vision for education and research. She also had a passion for Boys Town’s research of youth care and providing the best services for children.
With those interests in mind, Steve worked with Boys Town to establish an endowed fund to support the position of Boys Town’s Youth Care Director of Research. The endowed fund is named after her mother, who was an educator, as well.
We are proud to announce that Boys Town’s Dr. Patrick Tyler is the recipient of the Gertrude Marie Morrow-Steve Endowed Chair.
Dr. Tyler is the Senior Director of the Child and Family Translational Research Center at Boys Town. The focus of the center is translating research into practice to improve the design, implementation and dissemination of effective treatment interventions for children and families.
“Ms. Rose Steve was a blessed friend and champion of Boys Town,” Tyler said. “We will be forever grateful for her generosity of the endowment that she left so that we (in her words) ‘can do the research that will best help children.’ I had the good fortune of meeting with Rose once a quarter when she would come to visit, and I learned something new from her every time. She was a brilliant scholar with a keen mind and humble spirit.”
Tyler said the meetings were more than just simple conversations.
“We would cover a variety of topics from fluency to existentialism, to economics,” Tyler said. “I also enjoyed hearing her stories of her philosophical conversations with (former Executive Vice President) Dr. Dan Daly. I was sad to see her go when she passed on December 30, 2023, but am reminded of her every day when I enter my office and read the poem she left for me and all future directors of the Center.” It reads “To see the Invisible and to Act on Its Premise is to be a Designer of the Future to Become a Sculptor of Greatness within and thru the Eclectic Now.”
Tyler said Rose also had a vast knowledge of Boys Town’s history and Father Edward Flanagan’s philosophy in helping children.
“Rose adored Father Flanagan and read everything he wrote,” Tyler said. “When I was just starting in my role as Senior Director of the Child and Family Translational Research Center, she gently directed me to a 1939 quote from Father Flanagan, where he referred to Boys Town as an ‘Experimental Station in youth work.’ This helped us transform the vision for our Translational Research Center and furthered our understanding of the Mission and how and why we do the work of researchers at Boys Town.”
Lisa Hukill, Senior Officer of Development Operations at Boys Town, said Steve was totally dedicated to Boys Town and its work with children.
“She was incredibly smart and loved Boys Town like no one else,” Hukill said. She was a very passionate lady who saved her money to support our work. She was extremely fond of Patrick and his work. She would have never wanted recognition for her support, but she certainly deserves this as a legacy. She began donating to Boys Town in the 1980s and her passion was education and research. The Endowed Fund is named after her mother who was an educator, as well. This gift is an endowed legacy gift that will fund the Director of Youth Care research in perpetuity.”
Hukill said Steve’s donation is an ongoing tribute to Father Flanagan, as well as Boys Town.
“She had great vision for Boys Town’s research of youth care and providing the best services for children,” Hukill said. “She loved Father Flanagan and the work he did throughout his life and was a true scholar and historian about him.”
