Dean O Morton
March 21, 1932-Feb. 16, 2025
Palo Alto, California
Dean O. Morton died peacefully, with loved ones at his side, in Palo Alto, California on February 16, 2025. He was ninety-two.
Dean was born in Wichita, Kansas in 1932 to Olivia and Orla Morton. He graduated from Kansas State University with a degree in electrical engineering and married fellow Wildcat LaVon Palmer in 1953. They were married for sixty-one years before her passing in 2015.
In their early years together, Dean and LaVon moved frequently with their growing family while Dean served in the U.S. Air Force and subsequently attended Harvard Business School. After he received his MBA in 1960, the couple drove from Cambridge to Palo Alto with their four young children in their Rambler station wagon so Dean could begin work at Hewlett-Packard.
The family moved back to the Boston area in 1965 when Dean was made engineering manager of the Sanborn Division. A few years later, he rose to division general manager of what was then known as the Medical Electronics Division. In 1978, Dean was asked to return to the company headquarters in California to serve as chairman of the Management Council and executive vice president in charge of the Medical, Analytical and Components groups.
Before retiring from HP in October 1992, Dean served as chief operating officer and director. Upon his departure, he joked in an interview that he’d have more time to offer his kids plenty of advice and counsel on raising his grandchildren, adding that he was sure they would appreciate it.
Dean dedicated his life to service and leadership. His broad business experience and genuine commitment to making a difference led him to serve on many boards, where he was known for his integrity, thoughtful guidance, and collaborative spirit. He was especially proud to co-found The Center for Excellence in Nonprofits and serve as its first chairman. From 1989 to 2002, he was honored to be a Trustee of the David and Lucille Packard Foundation, helping to support its mission. He also played a meaningful role in the initial planning and subsequent oversight of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), where he was a board member for 12 years. In addition, he was an active member of the Band of Angels and served as a director of ALZA Corporation, Cepheid, BEA Systems, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals, and numerous other organizations.
Beyond his contributions to community and business, Dean was above all a family man whose example of honesty and genuine concern for others was passed down to his children. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. Despite his accomplishments, he remained humble and would often say that his greatest achievement in life was his family. He had a dry, infectious sense of humor. He was generous, genuine, and thoughtful. He and LaVon loved watching their family grow. Some of their most treasured memories were hitting the ski slopes with their children and grandchildren, and water skiing, boating, and boisterous dinners with family and friends at Lake Sunapee in New Hampshire.
Dean is survived by his four children — Lynn (Jeff) Magill, Lori (Johnny) Potter, Craig Morton, and Cherie (Lloyd) Baylis; fourteen grandchildren; twelve great-grandchildren; and three half-sisters.
The family is grateful for Dean’s devoted and loving caregivers for the past three years, and the attentive CNAs and nurses at his care facility in Palo Alto who affectionately called him Mr. Hollywood because they thought he was so handsome.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Center for Excellence in Nonprofits, United Way Bay Area, Monterey Bay Aquarium, or a charity or service organization of the donor’s choice.
Tags: veteran, business
