Dr. René Morell

1941 - 2024

MORELL, Dr. René

René Morell, born on November 10, 1941, in Camuy, Puerto Rico, passed away peacefully at home on February 1, 2024, in Woodstock, GA. Spending his early childhood on a family sugar cane farm, he was the youngest of three sisters and two brothers, and later moved to the Baldrich neighborhood of San Juan, when he was six years old.

An exceptional student with a thirst for knowledge, René excelled academically, graduating Magna Cum Laude from the University of Puerto Rico. It was during medical school that he met the love of his life, Rosa Urrutia.

Following the birth of their first son Javier, in 1968, the family moved to San Antonio, TX, where René served as a General Medical Officer at Lackland Air Force Base where in 1970, their second son Eduardo was born. René began his Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency in 1971, at Wilford Hall Medical Center on base, serving as Chief Resident from 1974-1975. The family transferred to Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, VA, where Rene served as an OB-GYN in dedicated years of service to the US Air Force, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1977.

Settling in Atlanta, GA, René and Rosa ventured into private medical practices. As he had throughout his academic and military career, Rene excelled as a physician earning the admiration of patients, nurses, and fellow doctors. He served two terms as Chief of Staff at Smyrna Hospital and one term as the President of Cobb County Medical Association. His commitment to patients went beyond the call of duty, with a particular focus on family care, often spanning three generations of women in the same family. Rene focused on fertility, helping thousands of women conceive. He loved his patients, treating them like family, and continued a dedicated practice until leukemia forced him into retirement in 2021.

René was a connoisseur of the arts, an avid skier, accomplished dancer, and self-proclaimed opera singer. He was a man who appreciated beautiful things, whether it was music, flowers, traveling, porcelain, or people - he saw beauty in everything. He passionately supported his sons' high school sports teams, along with his beloved Atlanta sports teams and Duke basketball.

While continuing to love life and bravely battle his illness for over two years, René passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family and close friends. He is survived by his devoted wife, Rosa of nearly 57 years; sons, Javier and his wife, Tara, Eduardo and his wife, Tamsen; grandchildren, Alexis, Juliana, Malín, Cole, and Eme; his brother, Juan Antonio; and Alexis and Juliana's mother, Susie.

He was a remarkable individual who touched the lives of many through his dedication to medicine, love for life, and unwavering commitment to family. May he rest in eternal peace.

A Funeral Mass in honor of Dr. René Morell will be held on Friday, February 9, 2024, at 2 PM, at St. Peter Chanel Catholic Church, 11330 Woodstock Rd., Roswell, GA 30075. Following the Mass, at 3:30 PM, a reception and celebration of René's life will take place at Roswell Funeral Home, 950 Mansell Rd., Roswell, GA 30076. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, a cause close to René's heart.