After almost a half century of healthcare service, Manatee Memorial worker retires

It cost 8 cents to stamp a letter and it would run you about 39 cents for a gallon of gas in 1973. That’s when Gladys Johnson began her 47-year career at Manatee Memorial Hospital.

On Thursday, she walked out of the hospital for the final time after announcing she would be retiring.

She was greeted by a few dozen well wishers, family members and a grateful public for her long tenured devotion to the hospital’s surgeons as a sterile processing technician in the operating rooms.

Manatee County Commissioner Carol Whitmore started four years after Johnson at Manatee Memorial before moving on to home healthcare several years later. Whitmore said Johnson has always just been the kind of person to put her head down and get to work.

“She’s a very hard worker, very loyal,” Whitmore said. “I’ve never heard a bad thing about Gladys. She’s a hard working woman and I can’t believe she stayed here for 47 years.”

Whitmore said she’s never seen a sendoff that big for someone retiring.

“Not like this,” she said. “You see little sendoffs but the entire OR came down and a lot of times you don’t see anyone in the OR getting recognition because no one ever seems them. I’m just glad someone is recognizing her and our front line people.”

The send-off celebration caught Johnson by surprise.

“I’m feeling good, feeling elated,” Johnson said.

As for her retirement, Johnson took that in stride.

“I haven’t thought about it much since deciding to retire,” Johnson said. “I’ve just been coming to work like I do everyday and today was no different.”

MMH CEO Kevin DiLallo summed up Johnson’s 47 years of dedicated service to healthcare and what her almost half century meant to the hospital, fellow staff and patients.

“Thank you for all that you have done,” DiLallo told Johnson. “We are grateful.”

This story was originally published May 14, 2020 at 3:36 PM.