Debra Herring of Chester, retired from Memorial Hospital on July 30, 2021 after 42 years of service. She was hired in March of 1979, as a Pharmacy Tech and spent her career in that position.
Over the years, she has witnessed many changes in the Pharmacy department from everything being done manually, to the introduction of multiple computer systems to improve workflow and processing. She remembers counting pills out of bottles of 1,000-5,000 and now several come in unit dose packages. When she began, the only electronic in the department was a typewriter and now the pharmacy has a prescription kiosk locker that dispenses medications to patients.
One of her favorite memories happened during a department relocation from the basement to the main floor. There was a salesmen in the department that day that was persistent and she was instructed by her boss to ask him to leave due to their busy state. That salesmen later became a per diem pharmacist in the department and became part of their work family. She says, “Memories like this put a smile to my face.” Debbie states that she will never forget the friendships that were developed with her co-workers, “I was around when they all gave birth to their children, and I have watched them grow into successful adults along the way. This is an extended family for sure.” She is looking forward to spending time with family at gatherings and sharing old stories. “Family, that’s what life is all about.” From getting stuck in the elevator on her first day of work and repeating the scenario, unexpectedly, on her last, she takes that as a sign, that the hospital says “good-bye”. At least she does not plan to try for a third go around.
During her time at Memorial, Debbie was a dedicated employee and all of her co-workers could see her passion for her job and her patients. Memorial Hospital thanks Debbie for her outstanding years of service, and her commitment to caring for our patients, employees, and community.
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