[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Pages 17785-17786]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                    TRIBUTE TO SISTER MARGARET SMITH

 Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, today, I would like to take the 
opportunity to pay special tribute to an exceptional person, Sister 
Margaret Smith of Park Rapids, Minnesota. With great pride, Minnesotans 
have named Sister Margaret Minnesota's Outstanding Older Worker for 
this year. This is an honor richly deserved, for Sister Margaret has 
spent 55 of her 80 years serving in a variety of capacities at the St. 
Joseph's Area Health Services, in Park Rapids.
  The award for Minnesota's Outstanding Older Walker is conferred by 
Green Thumb, Inc., the Minnesota Department of Economic Security, and 
the Minnesota Department of Labor.
  Sister Margaret is virtually an institution, a pillar at St. Joseph's 
where she has touched the lives of thousands of people. With her humor, 
warmth, feeling for people, and dedication, she has been a support not 
only for appreciative patients and their families, but also for her 
coworkers at St. Joseph's. Indeed, one of the affectionate nicknames 
conferred on her by the medical staff is ``The Presence.'' This is a 
fitting title, indeed: She was among the seven Sisters of Saint Joseph 
who arrived in Park Rapids in 1946 to establish a hospital, is always 
where she is needed, and has never missed a single day of work. 
Moreover, Sister Margaret is nothing if not versatile. Having become a 
certified radiology technician in 1945, she has worked in almost every 
department of the hospital, including the lab and surgery; was once St. 
Joseph's administrator; and now sits on the Board of Directors.
  Although she no longer performs procedures, she keeps the radiology 
department running smoothly by scheduling patients' appointments; 
maintaining statistics, information, and activities in superb order; 
working with physicians to arrange radiology procedures; and 
supervising the department's peer review. In the hospital at

[[Page 17786]]

large, she keeps her finger well placed on the pulse of the 
organization by overseeing quality control. Moreover, Sister Margaret 
is the hospital historian and photo archivist.
  At St. Joseph's, Sister Margaret is called ``the rock, the 
foundation.'' So loved is she for her steadfastness, lightheartedness, 
and solid values, that patients of 20 years ago return and ask to see 
her. At its genesis, the success of St. Joseph's and its founders might 
not have been predicated. Rather, some in the community opposed a 
Catholic hospital. Today, sister Margaret says she believes her 
presence as a Sister of St. Joseph has made a difference. Caring for 
patients, she believes is sacred. Her philosophy has been to care for 
the whole person, spiritfully as well as physically.
  Sister Margaret was to have visited Washington, D.C., during the week 
of September 11, in order to attend the National Prime Time Awards 
Program. Although our Nation's crisis made it impossible for this trip 
to take place, I would like to add my voice to those who have honored 
Sister Margaret's constancy of heart and spirit in ministering to so 
many patients for more than 50 years.

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