By Clayton Warren, Vitals contributor
Wearing her trademark pressed lab coat and heels, Elena Griffing clicked along the corridors of a Berkeley hospital for 75 years before retiring in 2021. Griffing, Sutter Alta Bates Summit Medical Center’s longest-tenured employee, died on Friday, Feb. 14, at the age of 98.
“Just” 33 years into her career at Sutter’s Alta Bates hospital, Elena Griffing was a model employee, as shown in 1979.
Griffing was only 20 years old when she began her life-long career at Alta Bates Hospital in 1946. Griffing worked alongside the hospital’s founder, nurse Alta Alice Miner Bates, who famously stopped her in a hall one day and told Griffing to stop wearing her trademark 3-inch heels because she “might fall.” That never happened, and Griffing continued to wear heels to work every day.
Griffing was a medical secretary in pathology, endocrinology and burn center departments, delivered test results, and worked in customer service. She even delivered a baby in the hospital parking lot once. When she was 75 years old in 2001, Griffing had her appendix removed at Alta Bates on a Sunday. On Monday morning, she put on her robe, walked one floor down from her hospital room and got to work.
In her 75-year career, Griffing took only six days of sick leave – a remarkable testament to her work ethic, determination and joy of work.
Elena Griffing received many celebrations during her 75-year career. This one was in 1996, celebrating her 50th year at Sutter’s Alta Bates. She’d work for 25 more years before finally retiring.
When celebrating her 70 years of service milestone, Griffing said: “I can’t wait to come to work every day, this is my hospital. I enjoy anything I can do to be of service. Truly, it’s the patient that counts. If it’s helping someone, it’s my bag.”
Sutter Health’s culture and values are centered on patients, people and communities, and Griffing was an inspirational force who dedicated her life to supporting patients and her fellow colleagues. Her inner youthfulness, outgoing and charming personality and genuine compassion for others were the hallmarks of how she brought so much joy to everyone she came across.
Griffing was truly the heart and soul of Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, and she leaves a great legacy for everyone to emulate and reflect upon.
VIDEO: Click here to watch a joy-filled video of Elena Griffing in action at 90 years old and her love of Ol’ Blue Eyes. It is guaranteed to make you smile!
