I can’t believe it has been 55 years, because all I ever wanted was a job. At the end of this month, I’ll be retiring from Wilson Medical Center.  I never went to college, and I had just gotten out of high school when I applied. As the daughter of a sharecropper in Fremont, I didn’t want to just stay at home.

Wilson Medical Center is a place where all four of my children were born and even a few of my grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It’s a place that has taken care of my children and husband when they were sick, and I have been cared for here as well.

Whether it was serving in dietary, radiology or Health Information Management – where I have been since 1980 – I have enjoyed working here. Family is important to me, and this has been a place that has allowed me to balance being a mother and wife during my tenure here.  When my son dealt with chronic asthma symptoms as a child, I would often have to bring him to Wilson Medical Center for breathing treatments. Doctors never denied me, and they told me to bring him whenever he was sick. I really appreciate the hospital for what they did during that time, because I was able to take time off if needed.

Everything has been full of great memories here. I have really enjoyed what I’ve done here. I’ve prayed and asked God to keep me, and he has through this journey.

I was married in 1964 to Kenneth Lee Braswell, the same year Wilson Medical Center opened its doors.

I look forward to sitting down for a little while, talking on the phone with friends and family that I haven’t talked to in a while. I plan to spend some time with myself, maybe do some shopping locally. My husband and I have discussed fixing up the house a bit, but every year it passes. My girls plan to come in and help me, but I want to see things because they like to move things around.

I’m going to miss my co-workers. I wish them luck. I don’t think anyone is going to stay as long as I stayed.

I’m really thankful for my time here at Wilson Medical Center. My job has provided for the needs of my family, and I cannot complain. Medical records has been a good job, and I caught on pretty fast when I started. I told my kids that I thought about leaving at times, but being able to go home, help kids with homework, and get them to school played a factor. My husband was a bricklayer and often traveled hours away for work, but we managed it.

I tell people that you can make a job what you want it to be. I talked to God and let him lead me along the way. I’m 82 years old, and I feel good. I get up and do what I need to do for myself and my husband.

I wish Wilson and the hospital well. I thank the Lord that I’m going out – but they won’t have to carry me out.

Evelyn Braswell is the longest tenured staff member at Wilson Medical Center. She will be celebrated with a retirement reception Tuesday, June 24 at the hospital.