Betty Quarles began her career at the Laurens District Hospital on May 1st, 1964. She recalled “When the lady training me said that hospital work gets in your blood, I thought it was the funniest thing I had ever heard. I came here and I was only 19 and so shy. After about two years, I started talking – and I haven’t stopped yet.”
When GHS began leasing the Laurens County Hospital in July of 2013, those years transferred with Betty. Last night, she was one of two people recognized for 50 years of service in the Greenville Health System. CEO Michael Riordan noted that Betty Quarles being a 12 year cancer survivor has made her interactions with patients in Outpatient Registration take on new meaning. Riordan noted Betty said “Sometimes you see patients come in at their worst because they’re having tests run, and they’re scared. I tell them I took that cancer journey, and I’ve got compassion for people who are going through those things.”
Mrs. Quarles has had many duties over the years, including service as an administrative assistant to several Chief Executive Officers of the Laurens County Health Care System. She is now an admissions counselor in Patient Registration at the GHS Laurens County Memorial Hospital.
Betty Quarles was one of two people honored last night for 50 years of service at the GHS 2014 Award Banquet Program, held in Embassy Suites in Greenville. The other honoree was Joyce Baldwin, who began in the cafeteria at Greenville General on March 6th, 1964.
Four GHS employees have reached 45 years of service. They include Sandy Senn of Newberry, an OR Nurse at GHS Laurens County Memorial. She began work at the Bailey Memorial Hospital in Clinton in 1969.
GHS employees at Laurens County Memorial Hospitals among those receiving 35 year service pins were Robyn N. Armstrong of Hickory Tavern and Charlene B. Campbell of Clinton. Among the many GHS employees honored for 30 years of service are Mary Lou Finley of Laurens and Sharon E. Johnson of Sandy Springs.
GHS last night also recognized hundreds of employees for years of service of 20, 15, 10 and 5 year intervals.