Evelyn Dias’ retirement reception at Marian Medical Center on July 31 wasn’t just another cake-and-soda send-off party.
The event marked a milestone in Marian’s history as the spry, “ageless” 92-year-old became the facility’s first employee to reach 50 years of service.
About 100 of Dias’ co-workers, friends, and family gathered at the hospital’s Conference Center to share memories and stories and praise her for a lifetime of compassion, dedication, and work ethic.
If there’s a secret to job longevity, Dias wasn’t sharing.
“I never sat down,” she said. “I came in, did my work, and went home.”
Dias has been a witness to Marian’s evolution since its humble days as the Sisters of Saint Francis-founded Perpetual Lady of Help Hospital. She started working as a housekeeper at Sisters’ Hospital in the 1950s, polishing floors and performing general upkeep. When Marian opened in 1967, she continued on in the hospital’s laundry department.
It was a routine she performed countless times through the years—up until her last day on the job.
“I figure I liked what I did,” she said, looking back. “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have been there that long.”
At her farewell reception, Marian president and CEO Chuck Cova thanked Dias for being a big part of the facility’s history.
Dias didn’t divulge any plans for her newfound free time, but said she hopes she’s still alive to see the hospital’s new laundry facility once it’s completed in December of 2011. m
Staff Writer Jeremy Thomas compiled this week’s Community Corner. Send comments or ideas to the Sun via e-mail at jthomas@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Aug 6-13, 2009.
