Mercy College of Nursing - Yearbook (San Diego, CA)

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Emma (Dettmer) Wegis 1912 Eola Marie (Cline) Reade 1921 N , Evelina (DuKamel) Pol I man 1920 • MaLel Grogan 1921 ■ -■ Florence (Tlirelfall) Weseloli 1918 Everal (Heddins) Bell 1921 JSE-

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Alumnae Through the Years The years of 1906 to 1953 have seen 956 students graduate from Mercy. Of these more than one hundred have served in the armed forces: Army. Navy, and Air Force, in World Wars I and II and during the present emergency. In World War 1 Mae Murphy, a graduate in the class of 1911. distinguished herself as an Army Nurse and received many commendations for her work. This Mercy Nurse went on to com- pile an enviable record of achievement in the professional fields, serving at one time as a Member of the Board of Directors of the California Nurses Association. Vice Commander at Large of the American Legion. Director of District 8 (San Diego) California State Nurses Association and Chairman of the Private Dutv Section C.S. N.A, The Navy Nurse Corps has on its roster Lt. Margaret Berry who graduated in 1958 and went at once into Navy Nurse recruiting and public relations work. In 1942 Miss Berry was heard from one side of this globe to the other as the voice of Pacific War Report, an official Armed Forces Radio production, emanating from Hawaii. She is still on active duty, where there s a job to do in Navy Blue! One of the many nurses to give her life in the service of her country was Lt. Rebecca Britton. N.N.C. During the infamy that history records as Pearl Harbor Miss Britton suffered a severe attack or appendicitis while caring for the multitudinous injured immediately after the bombing. Disregarding her own discomfort and pain. Miss Britton continued at her post, administering to those in her care until her collapse and subsequent death, the result of a ruptured appendix. This devotion to duty is e.xemplary of the character and essence of the finest traditions of the nursing profession and a reflection of the spiritual guidance embued by the Sisters of Mercy. Mercy s success story in the Armed Service is not in numbers alone. A tew of the San Diego schooled girls to distinguish themselves include: Lt. Clara Duley. awarded the Bronze Star For heroic or meritorious achievement or service during military service while on duty with the 41st Fvacuation Hospital, first unit to cross the Normandy beachhead in World War II. Two other Mercy graduates to gain recognition are Lts. Pegeen Nugent and Esther Banks, who both received commen- dations Irom their service with front line field hospitals in France, during orld War 11. A Mercy girl who has taken Mercy esprit de corps into every country on the European continent is Margaret Small. During the reorganization years following World War II, she served as a member of the .Army Nurse Corps and was particu- larly active in establishing adequate health services lor the civilian populace of the war torn areas. Miss Small s usefulness as a Public Health Nurse in San Mateo. California, was interrupted last year when she was selected as official team nurse lor the American Olympic Team of 1952. and accompanied this famous group to Hel- sinki. Finland, where they brought honor and glory to the United States. Ann Sverdrup is demonstrating Mercy education and San Diego influence in Norway. In Oslo she is active in the Norwegian Federal Public Health Service. Mrs. Ceil Sutton is well known for her work as a Red Cross nurse. She has gained many honors working in the defense effort, the training of youth and in events of local disaster such as the San Diego Flood ol 1952. This dynamic nurse spends nuicfi or her time in philanthropic efforts to help the children ol not only her own community, but at present Mrs. Sutton is aiding the program of the Red Cross in Tijuana. Baja Calilornia. She also fills the role of Parochial School Nurse and re- cently two plays written by this Mercy dynamo have been published. An interesting prolessional first is accorded Eleanore Anderson. Mercy Alumna, as the only R.N. Orthoptist practicing in San Diego. Miss .Anderson received her Orthoptic education in England and has since returned to a La Jolla practice. Margaret Sullivan Pearcy wears the Mercy cap in Saudi Arabia where she is employed as an industrial Nurse with the Arabian Oil Company. Hospital administration and educational fields also possess their share of Mercy graduates: Ruth f ranees Hearn ser ed as administrator ol the new Pioneer Hospital in Brawley. Calilornia. during a ital period ol its very recent history. Melba Love, as a medical missionary, has served as Director ol Nurses of St. Luke s Memorial Hospital in Puerto Rico. Another graduate is at the present time heading the Sehetra Mission in Ficksburg. South Africa, as a Sister of the Holy Name. Here Sister Ann Maureen and a few native Nuns in the midst of the Mau Mau turmoil operate a dis- pensary for the care of the native populace. Sister Mary Cecelia served as President of the Western Conference of the Catholic Hospital .Association and a member of the Advisory Committee of the California Board of Nurse Examiners. Sister Mary Baptist, director ol the College at present, is herself a Mercy graduate and also has served as Vice President ol C.H.A. and a member ol the Board ol fJirectors. California League of Nursing Education. Another Mercy College graduate who is now in administration is the Director of Education. Sister Mary Beata. In addition to this position. Sister Mary Beata serves as a member of the Calilornia State Board of Nurse Examiners. This is but a glimpse at the nurses who have gone through Mercy s doors into the various stations of life to serve the God who inspired them, honor the school that prepared them and serve the country they love. Many have done so in the worthy role of motherhood, others in the religious life. Each has found satisfaction in serving.

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Olga Polomik 1927 Helen (Wendt) Von Renibow 1929 Mary Patrice Murphy 1929 May McCarty 1930 (Celia Powell) 1929 Sister Ann Maureen witK natives oF Africa Lula (Gibbs) Dike 1928