Five Generations of Family Have Worked at Holzer
They say family is everything. For one family, Holzer Health System has been part of life for five generations. That’s right: Five generations of the same family have worked with Holzer over the years. It all started with Gertrude Hysell (first generation), who served in World War II. She started her career at Holzer in the old hospital as one of the original OB nurses working with Dr. Charles Holzer. She finished her career as a Manager on the OB floor. She worked at Holzer for 34 years (1952-1986) and passed away in 2014. She would often say, “Whenever I was caring for my patients, I felt like I was caring for The Lord.”
Gertrude’s niece, Donna Reynolds-Kent (second generation), worked at the same hospital and was at the Holzer School of Nursing. After the nursing school closed, Donna came to the main campus in Gallipolis and was part of Holzer’s Employee Health team. She worked at Holzer for 38 years (1964-2002) and passed away in 2007.
In 1984, Donna’s daughter, Karen Edgar (third generation), started her career with Holzer as a Medical Secretary. Karen insists that her mother was very helpful with medical terminology during these times and continued to provide phenomenal support that would forever shape her life. After a brief hiatus from Holzer, Karen returned to Holzer in 1990 as an Administrative Assistant from 1990-1998 and would go on to work in payroll from 1998-2007 and credentialing from 2007-2012.
In 2012, Karen began her nursing career. Donna always wanted one of her children to be a nurse, and this notion always stuck with Karen. She reminisces about her mother, saying, “One time, I was helping take care of her; she stopped walking and said that I would have been a good nurse. From that moment on, I set out to be a nurse so I could positively impact patients within the medical field. I have always been proud to be nurse at Holzer, the place that employed previous generations and current generations of my family.”
In 2002, Karen’s daughter, Monica Helms (fourth generation) joined Holzer as a housekeeper. She left the health system briefly but returned in 2020 as a Medical Scribe. In 2022, she became a Receptionist in Cardiology at Holzer Gallipolis.
In 2022, Monica’s daughter, Baylee Helms (fifth generation), joined Holzer. She was in the Holzer Gallipolis Cafeteria until 2023 and returned to the health system this year as a Receptionist for Internal Medicine and Family Practice at Holzer Gallipolis.
When one talks about the Holzer culture, it is synonymous with family, and such is the case with this Holzer family. When asked what the Holzer culture means to her, Karen shared, “Holzer is family to me, and our work environment reflects this same intimate feeling. Growing up, it was a badge of pride in our household to be tied to Holzer. Both Gertrude and Donna were proud nurses, and this pride was passed down to the rest of our family. My family grew up inside of Holzer; it’s always been a special bond.”
Monica backs up this familial sentiment saying, “To me, Holzer culture is the equivalent of family. It can be scary coming to the doctor, so we create a comfortable environment for patients, both mentally and physically. I love seeing our patients; I treat them like family and want the best for them. Everyone deserves to be valued and cared for.”
Baylee talks about Holzer’s culture, saying, “The fact that five generations of our family have worked here speaks volumes to the greatness of Holzer. This is not a coincidence. It reflects Holzer’s excellent work environment, which is built on kindness and care. Our departments are cohesive and efficient. We are all looking out for each other, and it’s nice to know that everyone has the same goals in mind. We want to help patients be in the best possible situations.”
Karen, Monica, and Baylee know that Gertrude and Donna would be proud of how the family connection to Holzer has continued over the years. To them, helping people in whatever way possible is a priceless endeavor that makes all the difference. Karen says, “Our family is happy to be at Holzer, and we are thankful for all the great people in the organization who make this place feel like a second home. Family comes in many forms, and this is one of them. There aren’t many places like Holzer.”
