Reflecting back on her 35-year career at Morris Hospital, Lynn Langdon of Custer Park says she is proud of the fact that she has rarely been tardy. She also says the best part of her job is providing compassion to patients and families.

Langdon is among 143 employees who were recently honored for achieving milestones in their years of service at Morris Hospital. All employees celebrating five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 years of service in 2011 were invited to bring a guest to the annual recognition dinner held Oct. 20 at Morris Country Club.

Each employee received a long stem rose and Grundy County Chamber of Commerce gift certificate. Employees with 20 or more years of service received a keepsake pen engraved with their name and years of service.

Twenty-year honoree Carol Banks of Morris gave the invocation. Following dinner, representatives from the Morris Hospital Board of Directors — Bruce Baker, Kelly Beaty and Sheldon Sobol — joined Morris Hospital President and CEO Mark Steadham in congratulating the honorees.

“I hear people say it all the time, and it really is true — there is clearly something special about this hospital,” Steadham told the honorees and their guests. “The care and concern for patients, the friendliness in the hallways, the compassion, the pride — these are all traits that make Morris Hospital so unique, thanks to each of you.”

“Your service is certainly something we value. Each of you has contributed to the success of our organization by remaining and growing with us. You are the ones with the history, the experience ... the ones who have a deep understanding of the Morris Hospital culture. You are the familiar faces that give our patients and visitors comfort and confidence each time they return to us for care. Each of you has my deepest gratitude for your commitment to this wonderful organization.”

Carole Transou, Verona, was the top honoree with 40 years of service. Additional employees honored for achieving milestones in service years in 2011 include:

Five Years

•    Barbara Aimone, Nutrition Services, Mazon

•    Amanda Anderson, Pulmonary Services, Kinsman

•    Deanna Arjes, Family Birthing Suites, Peru

•    Jeffery Black, Security, Morris

•    Barbara Bogacz, Nursing Administration, Marseilles

•    Betty Bogda, Information Technology, Yorkville

•    Kristine Bradbury, Family Birthing Suites, Wilmington

•    Elizabeth Cacello, 2 East/Peds, South Wilmington

•    Karen Capriotti, Ultrasound, Bourbonnais

•    Renee Carrie-Kerkman, Emergency Department, Sheridan

•    Melissa Clark, 2 East/Peds, Dwight

•    Jennifer Craig, Nutrition Services, Morris

•    Melissa Craig, Radiology, Coal City

•    Vicki Ellis, 2 East/Peds, Seneca

•    Lindsay Ferguson, Human Resources, Morris

•    Susan Galloway, Social Service, Morris

•    Amy Garcia, Cardiac Diagnostics, Dwight

•    Byron Gillespie, Facilities, Morris

•    Luanne Goldman, 2 South, Morris

•    Frank Groboski, Vascular Lab, New Lenox

•    Pamela Hasty, Ultrasound, Wilmington

•    Katie Homerding, Pharmacy, Yorkville

•    Kelli Jandura, Pulmonary, Wilmington

•    Randolph Kiefling, Environmental Services, South Wilmington

•    Gail Kijowski, Laboratory, Morris

•    Brian Laughary, Pharmacy, Morris

•    Carie Leiteritz, Radiology, Ottawa

•    Paula Lutz, Wellness, Morris

•    Megan Madison, Laboratory, Morris

•    Kristie Mann, Registration/Scheduling, Seneca

•    Bobbi McCauley, Registration/Scheduling, Coal City

•    Linda Minnick, Family Birthing Suites, Mendota

•    Patricia Misener, Patient Accounting, Morris

•    Sopheap Mitchell, Social Service, Morris

•    Lucina Mix , 2 South, Ottawa

•    Thomas Nelson, Radiology, Morris

•    Hillary Newbury, ICU, Marseilles

•    Susan Nonnie, Laboratory, Shorewood

•    Karen Olson, Ambulatory Care, Morris

•    Dr. Mark Passerman, Dwight Healthcare Center, Morris

•    Emily Peterson, Pulmonary, Cabery

•    Marilyn Promis, Environmental Services, Coal City

•    Susan Raikes, Environmental Services, Marseilles

•    Brenda Rittof, Information Technology, Minooka

•    Mary Sartori, Family Birthing Suites, Diamond

•    Mike Scott, Facilities, Plainfield

•    Shannon Smith, 2 South, Grand Ridge

•    Margaret (Peggy) Snowden, 2 East/Peds, Putnam

•    Cheryl Spear, Nursing Administration, Coal City

•    Christine Stankus, Pharmacy, Minooka

•    Tanya Stevens, Central Processing, South Wilmington

•    Megan Stuckey, Emergency Department, Marseilles

•    Dorothy Tatton, Environmental Services, Reddick

•    Elizabeth Thrun, Social Service, Marseilles

•    Christopher Thurlby, Emergency Department, Joliet

•    Sarah Tutaj, ICU, Oglesby

•    Robert Valerio, Environmental Services, Morris

•    Angela Volling, Nutrition Services, Morris

•    Kathryn Whalen, 2 South, Morris

•    James Worst, Performance Improvement, Shorewood

•    Sharon Zagar, Braidwood Healthcare Center, Gardner

10 Years

•    Robert Anselme Jr., Facilities, Seneca

•    Mary Bonnivier, 2 South, Braceville

•    Michele Brewick, ICU, Coal City

•    Diane Bryant, Human Resources, Essex

•    Diana Chatten, Nuclear Medicine, Morris

•    Jacqueline Countryman, Ambulatory Care, Channahon

•    Patricia Cravens, Cardiac Rehab, Mazon

•    Phyllis Current, Nutrition Services, Morris

•    Kathlene Dunham, Accounting, Plainfield

•    Ann Finnegan, Administration, Morris

•    Reggie Fleck, Nutrition Services, Lombard

•    Leslie Guinnee, Nursing Administration, Marseilles

•    James Guistat, Materials Management, Morris

•    Eva Gutierrez, 2 East Peds, Dwight

•    Leigh Anne Hall, Wellness, Morris

•    Belinda Hill, Physical Therapy, Minooka

•    Kristi Holmes, Emergency Department, Morris

•    Tina Horkey, Laboratory, Morris

•    Tracy Hughes, Physical Therapy, Morris

•    Stacey Hutchcraft, Radiology, Morris

•    Kimberly Lamboley, Laboratory, Seneca

•    Kathy Mccalister, ICU, Morris

•    Catherine Olson, Patient Accounting, Morris

•    Michelle Opyd, Registration/Scheduling, Gardner

•    Brandy Perry, Emergency Department, Herscher

•    Amy Phillips, 2 South, Seneca

•    Kimberly Phillips, Surgery, Morris

•    Amy Proctor, Family Birthing Suites, Ottawa

•    Summer Promis, Family Birthing Suites, Diamond

•    Linda Rice, Performance Improvement, Shorewood

•    Jennifer Rieuf, 2 East/Peds, Marseilles

•    Kathleen Roundtree, Patient Accounting, Morris

•    Christine Sibert, 2 East/Peds, Marseilles

•    Diana Smith, Patient Transportation, Marseilles

•    Kathy Taylor, Pharmacy, Streator

•    Lynn Valerio, Healthcare Centers, Morris

•    Jonathan Visser, Information Technology, Morris

•    Susan Webster, MRI, Morris

•    Stacey White, Ambulatory Care, Coal City

•    Cathy Zumbahlen, Registration/Scheduling, Morris

15 Years

•    Paulette Baron, Mammogaphy, Marseilles

•    Robert Chaplin, Surgery, Morris

•    Gregory  Lundy, Environmental Services, Morris

•    Dawn Magers, Laboratory, Dwight

•    Amber Norman, Education, Ottawa

•    Perry Sager, Security, Morris

•    Dr. Beatriz Setrini, Laboratory, Morris

•    Rebekah Steele, Emergency Department, Ottawa

•    Ronald Varland, Materials Management, Morris

20 Years

•    Laurie Applebee, Laboratory, Seneca

•    Carol Banks, Surgery, Morris

•    Michele Battistelli, ICU, Ottawa

•    JoAnn Bradley, Med/Surg South, Coal City

•    Harold Carlson, Security, Morris

•    Sherry Ellis, 2 East/Peds, Verona

•    JoAnn Flatness, Radiology, Seneca

•    Linda Kopeshke, Environmental Services, Morris

•    Vickie Lowery, Family Birthing Suites, Morris

•    Joan Naines, Medical Staff Services, Morris

•    Kelly Olson, Registration/Scheduling, Dwight

•    Leigh Opyd, Recovery, Gardner

•    Jean Pendleton, Emergency Department, Marseilles

•    Diane Seaward, Laboratory, Coal City

•    Joanne Steed, Ultrasound, Morris

•    Cynthia Stubler, Laboratory, Joliet

25 Years

•    Pamela Goodman, Cardiac Diagnostics, Morris

•    Beverly Perry, Patient Accounting, Morris

•    Denise Phillips, Registration/Scheduling, Morris

•    Claudette Swiggett, Health Information Management, Morris

30 Years

•    Deborah Esler, Cardiac Diagnostics, Coal City

•    Melanie Fitzgerald, Health Information Management, Coal City

•    Deborah Jacklin, Cardiac Diagnostics, Morris

•    Jill Mcvey, Health Information Management, Morris

•    Judith Oakes, ICU, Marseilles

•    Joyce Zweeres, Health Information Management, Channahon

35 Years

•    Sydney Ferris, Case Management, Marseilles

•    Donna (Lynn) Langdon, Pulmonary, Custer Park

•    Janice Steffes, Ambulatory Care, Morris

•    JoAnn Teele, Ambulatory Care, Morris

•    Debbie Yard, Nutrition Services, Morris

40 Years

•    Carole Transou, Ambulatory Care, Verona

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Morris Hospital and Healthcare Centers is the largest employer in Grundy County with over 940 employees. This was the 11th year for the employee recognition dinner.