Staff photos/Rhonda Silence Vi Wonser, Phyllis Noyes, and Sharon Eliasen take a stroll down memory lane with the North Shore Hospital Auxiliary scrapbook during the Hospital’s 50th Anniversary celebration.
With its beautiful silver tea service and plenty of gold balloons and streamers, the North Shore Hospital Auxiliary hosted a delightful 50th anniversary celebration for the hospital on Saturday, September 12, 2009. The Corcoran Conference Room in the lower level of the Sawtooth Mountain Clinic was crowded with former doctors, nurses, technicians, administrators, board members—and patients—who came to recognize the accomplishments of the hospital’s founders and those who continue to make it a place of healing.
Virgil Lindquist served as emcee for the afternoon, introducing many past and present staff members. He recalled that although the ground was broken for the hospital in 1957, planning for the hospital began in 1948. He said the county first petitioned the State Health Department to open an eightbed facility. “That went to 12, then to 16,” recalled Lindquist. He recalled that when word of approval for the hospital came through, Sherman Benson led a group to St. Paul to get the agreement in writing.
Above: Rosemary Lamson holds the medical bags used for many years by her father, Dr. Wallace R. Smith. At the hospital open house, Lamson shared memories of living in a Cook County doctor’s household when there was no hospital. The medical bags—and the tools that were carried inside—are now on display at the Cook County Historical Society Museum.
Marilyn “Mim” Soderberg, wife of the late Dr. Richard J. Soderberg, said she was amazed at how much the hospital had grown since she and her husband worked there. She made everyone laugh with her remembrance of a time when everyone in this Scandinavian community stopped for coffee at about 10:00 a.m. She said there were no pagers or cell phones in those days, so if there was an emergency the local telephone operator was called to action, calling businesses until she found Dr. Soderberg frequently at the El Ray Café. She said another system was in place if Dr. Soderberg was fishing at his favorite spot on Trout Lake. Thehospital would contact Bud Kratoska at Trout Lake Lodge, who would honk his truck’s horn to announce an emergency.
“I know there are people who would not have survived a trip to Duluth,” recalled Mim Soderberg.
“I’m amazed at what you have done,” she said. “I’m proud to have been part of the start of it.”
Left: Many past and present doctors, nurses, staff, and family members visited during the North Shore Hospital 50th Anniversary celebration on Saturday, September 12. Dr. Barbara Banks and Dr. Roger MacDonald visited with Marilyn “Mim” Soderberg, wife of the late Dr. Richard Soderberg.
Dr. Roger MacDonald spoke of his years at the hospital, recalling with pride the successful Cancer Screening Clinics that were held for 26 years. He also made those in attendance laugh when he spoke of sharing an office with local dentist Robert Sande while waiting for the hospital to be finished. “Patients were stacked in that little waiting room like cordwood,” he chuckled. “If someone had fainted they wouldn’t have had room to fall down.”
Dr. MacDonald also recalled that the 16-bed hospital sometimes held far more patients. But he said it was always satisfying work. He asked, “What exactly is a hospital? It’s a building, yes, but it’s much more than that. It’s the people. I was so lucky to have had the experience of working with all of you. Working here was a blessing.”
Current Hospital Administrator Diane Pearson and Board Member Howard Abrahamson gave brief reports of hospital activities and Abrahamson noted that changes might be coming to the health care system. “No one knows what the future will hold,” he said, “except that we will keep our commitment to continue to provide quality health care to the community.”
Former board member Frank Hansen shared the experience of opening the bids for the new hospital and the disappointment felt when the expense was much greater than expected. He said Jean Raikin, Cook County’s first woman commissioner and owner of Sawbill Lodge, found a solution. She took the plans to a guest at the lodge, architect Art Towner, and demanded that he find a way to reduce costs. “Amazingly, Towner was able to bring costs down, something that is very rarely, if ever, done!” said Hansen.
“We got a pretty bare-bones hospital, but we got it done!” he said.
Through the years, the Hospital Auxiliary helped meet some of the hospital’s needs. Auxiliary Member Nancy Lindquist said the auxiliary had a meager beginning, with coffees and fashion show fundraisers. A bequest from Hazel Matthews, a care center resident, who was so impressed with her care that she wanted to see others receive the same, brought the auxiliary to solid financial ground. Other contributions from Roy Hedstrom, Margaret Lacey, and Will and Mary Storland, have been gratefully accepted. “We’ll continue to use the funds wisely,” said Nancy Lindquist. “I hope the next 50 years will be just as good!”
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