JOHNSON, Viola

The Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Arizona Wednesday, March 5, 2003 Viola Morago Johnson, chief executive officer of the Hu Hu - Kam Memorial Hospital on the Gila River Indian Community, died Saturday March 1, 2003 in Chandler, AZ. She was 63. Johnson, a member of Gila River, was the first Pima Indian CEO of the tribal hospital - the first and only independent Indian hospital in Arizona. She was also the first woman to head the hospital. In her 40-year career as a nurse and hospital administrator, Johnson worked tirelessly to serve her community's health care needs, most importantly in treating diabetes. Johnson, who was born in Sacaton on Oct. 9, 1939, was raised on the reservation and later in Ajo, Ariz. She graduated from Ajo High School in 1960 and immediately entered nurses training at St Joseph's Hospital School of Nursing in Phoenix. She was 20 when she graduated from the nursing program run by Mercy Nuns at St. Joseph's. She received her nursing certification in California a year later. She became a public health nurse after graduating from Northern Arizona University with a BSN. Johnson worked as a public health nurse and community health nurse on the Gila River Reservation for years before becoming the director of public health nursing there. She received her masters in public health from the University of North Carolina in 1985, returning to Sacaton to become the tribe's director of health services and later director of public health. Johnson was the service unit director of the tribe's hospital during the years it was under federal Indian Health Services management. When the tribe took control of its own health services, and opened the Hu Hu Kam Memorial Hospital, Johnson became head administrator. She was later named CEO. The hospital now sees 120,000 outpatients a year and sees more than 100 new patients a month. Johnson was diagnosed with cancer in December 2001. She continued working at the hospital until October 2002. Johnson is survived by her daughter, Margo Hunsicker; her mother, Ruth Morago of Sacaton; brothers, Burdette Morago, Merle Morago and Terry Morago of Sacaton and sisters Ruth Morago and Peggy Morago of San Simon, Ariz. and Pamela Morago of Sacaton. She has three grandchildren. A rosary will be held Wednesday, March 5, 2003 at 6:30 P.M., Bunker's Garden Chapel, 33 N. Centennial Way, Mesa, AZ. Visitation will be held Thursday, March 6, 2003 from 6-10:00 PM. District 3 Service, Sacaton, AZ. Mass will be held Friday, March 7, 2003 at 10:00A.M., St. Mary's Catholic Church, 230 W. Galveston St., Chandler, AZ. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Hospice of the Valley, East Office, 2222 S. Dobson Rd., Ste 401, Mesa, AZ. Courtesy of Pat Wilson.