Gift in Memory of Parents Will Help Geriatric Nursing

Mary Jo Felix

“You see the compassionate care that is provided,” says Mary Jo Felix, who recently retired from NCH Healthcare System. “Giving back is critical if you believe in an organization.”

That is why Mary Jo and her husband have established a gift in her will to create an endowment with NCH Healthcare Foundation to support geriatric nursing and staff education. The gift is in memory of her parents, Katherine and Jack Fiamingo. It also qualifies them for membership in the Banyan Society, a special group for those who make planned gifts to NCH.

Mary Jo is retired from her career as the hospital’s system director for supply chain and support services. She says to those who work for nonprofits, “If your employer is compassionate, you should support them with a strong work ethic and charitable gifts at any level that is comfortable for you.”

Mary Jo grew up in New Jersey and earned a master’s degree in history from Seton Hall University. She began her career as a teacher but soon tapped into her math major and began her hospital career with a start in nuclear medicine. She and Jim, her husband of 40 years, live in Fort Myers, Florida.

Her interest in geriatric care recently led her to become a volunteer medical advocate for the elderly with the Florida organization SHINE. She assists seniors who have questions about their health insurance.

While her gift will not be realized for a long time, her volunteer work with the elderly gives her a great sense of satisfaction.