Former Boone Memorial Hospital employee Betsy White has donated $25,000 to the new Boone Memorial Hospital facility with a room in the radiology department to be named in honor of her family, particularly her late husband Doug and her late daughter Tira.
Prior to BMH opening its doors in1964, there was a tremendous amount of work to be done in setting up the facility to receive patients. Betsy White was the very first employee in the radiology department and came on board in 1963.
“When I graduated high school, I knew that I wanted to work in the medical field,” she said. “Helping others is what appealed to me the most about that kind of work.”
A 1957 graduate of Scott High School in Madison, White wanted to enter nursing school but she felt that it would be a financial burden on her parents. She learned of certification offered through Charleston Area Medical Center that would be accepting students for the x-ray technician program.
“At that time, I was attracted to that because I could work while in school and receive a stipend that would allow me to earn money while I studied and ease the burden on my parents,” said White. “I started my training five days after graduating high school. It was a two-year program and I really enjoyed it.”
Through her training, Ross focused on what was referred to in the 1950s and 1960s as “deep x-ray therapy” as a treatment for cancer patients. She focused on that treatment in her work in Charleston. Once a position opened up at the new Boone Memorial Hospital in 1963, she gladly accepted.
“I can remember the excitement in the community at that time,” she said. “It was such a big deal to have our very own hospital in Boone County. I took great pride in working there.”
White’s time at BMH lasted over a decade before she joined her husband in his mobile home sales business and his real estate venture. In the 1980s, the couple retired and spent their time traveling. White, 77 is witty and charming and exudes a youthful energy when recalling the past and her love for Boone County.
“There is something really special about Boone County people,” she said. “They are like no others.”
Today, White is active in Madison Baptist Church and the Julia Price Breast Cancer Foundation. She spends time at her home in Madison where she helps care for her daughter Kim, 56 who suffered a cerebral aneurysm and after surgery, a stroke. In relation to her donation to Boone Memorial Hospital, White calls it an honor to be able to contribute.
“I was inspired by those early days working at the hospital,” she said. “I just have so many wonderful memories and they are a part of me. I’ve lived here all my life and I made my living in this community. It pleases me to be able to do something for the hospital. It has touched so many lives over the years, including mine.”
To learn more about the Boone Memorial Hospital Capital Campaign, contact campaign director Denver Allen at 304-539-2242 or visit bmh.org.
