Retirement tea today for Elaine Litton

The Division of Infectious Diseases will hold a retirement tea in honor of Elaine Litton today from 2:30-4 p.m. on the ground level of Storz Pavillion, Rooms 1-4.

Litton, an office associate with the Division of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Internal Medicine, will retire from UNMC today after 13 years of service.

Litton joined UNMC in October 2004. Her work focused on supporting the faculty and staff of the UNMC Division of Infectious Diseases. During the Ebola crisis of 2014, Litton played an active role to ensure the operations of the division were maintained. She was recognized for her efforts during that period with the Silver U Award in January 2015, her second during her UNMC tenure.

“Elaine was handling phone calls that ranged from high-level government officials to well-meaning, but misguided persons who had the ‘cure’ for Ebola,” one Silver U nominator wrote, noting that Litton “handled all of the calls in a professional and courteous manner.”

Phil Smith, M.D., emeritus professor in the College of Public Health and former chief of the division, called Litton a fabulous person whose contributions went far beyond her hard work and initiative.

“She will be missed for the spirit of fun she instilled into the ID division, and her notable dry sense of humor,” Dr. Smith said. “It was wonderful to work with her.”

“There is an old curse that states ‘May you live in interesting times,'” said division chief Mark Rupp, M.D. “Elaine Litton has certainly lived through some interesting times with the ID Division — H1N1 influenza epidemic and UNMC Ebola cases, to name a few.

“We are grateful for Elaine’s steadfast service to the ID Division through thick and thin, and all of us in the ID community wish her success and happiness in her retirement,” Dr. Rupp said.