Georgia Baptist College of Nursing Alumni Day

October 18, 2013

We went to the Mercer Atlanta campus for the GBCN Alumni Day. Last year had been Brenda's 50th Anniversary celebration, and we looked forward to seeing some of those folks again. It was great to see Johnnie Forgay at 91 still spry and enthusiastic. With her are her daughter Diane behind her, Debbie Miller at left, then Mary Calloway Keefe and Brenda on the right. Debbie, Mary and Brenda worked with Johnnie at Georgia Baptist Hospital and remember her with great fondness. We were particularly excited about today when Mary would be inducted into the Hall of Honor. With that award, all the members of Johnnie's team and herself would have gotten one of the awards from the Alumni Association.

The nametags had the year of graduation from nursing school, and Johnnie Forgay's class was 1946, 67 years ago! She had been a part of the World War II cadet corp. We were proud when Johnnie received the Distinguished Alumna award last year.
Johnnie and Brenda visit with Peggy Cooper.

Sitting at Peggy's table were Jeanne Gaberdiel Reagan (left, class 72) who was inducted into the Hall of Honor and Linda Daniels (class 1971).

Peggy talks with Johnnie Forgay and her whole Community Services team from the early 80's: Mary, Brenda and Debbie.

Johnnie and Brenda with Julia Gould, who was being inducted into the Hall of Honor. Brenda remembers her as having been a great help to Susan Gunby during the transition of the College of Nursing to Mercer. She had the appropriate expertise as the educational consultant to the Georgia Board of Nursing.

Genie Coats, Brenda, BJ Thomas Goodloe, Edie Fox.

Brenda with Mescal Hunt, with whom she worked at Atlanta Medical Center where Mescal was head nurse of the neonatal intensive care unit. Brenda nominated her to the Alumni Board several years ago and she will be President of the Board next year.

The alumni luncheon filled the banquet room. There were lots of old friends and colleagues of Brenda.

Brenda, Mike and Dianne Smith, Linda, Debbie Miller, Johnnie Forgay, Mary & John Keefe.

Mary was our guest of honor since she was getting one of the awards today.

Starting the awards with the Distinguished Alumna award, they asked previous recipients to stand, and Brenda had received it in 2011. Then for the Edna Earle Teale award, Brenda was the only previous recipient present, having received it in 1988.

Mary Calloway Keefe

Hall of Honor

Mary is inducted into the Hall of Honor by Dean Linda Streit. Mary graduated from Georgia Baptist School of Nursing in 1976 and began her professional career as a staff nurse on 4 North at Georgia Baptist Hospital. After earning her BSN from the Medical College of Georgia in 1978, she taught Fundamentals of Nursing at GBH from 1980 to 1982. She worked in Community Services with Johnnie Forgay, Brenda and Debbie Miller in the 80s. She worked as a hospice nurse and staff nurse in the emergency department of Baptist Medical Center in Columbia, SC for five years. She worked in the emergency department at Candler Hospital in Savannah from 1987 to 1993. Since 1993, Mary has worked at Presbyterian Hospitals in Matthews, NC and Charlotte, NC. In 2006, she implemented the first breast cancer navigation program in the Presbyterian Hospital system and became a certified breast cancer nurse with the Oncology Nursing Society. She was one of the founders of the Oncology Nurse Navigation Society in North Carolina and served as its co-president. For her excellence in clinical nursing practice, contributions to nursing practice and patient care, and expertise in cancer care, she was recognized as one of the "Great 100 Nurses in North Carolina" in October of 2013.

Congratulating Mary after the award ceremony.

Mary and Brenda with Susan Gunby, director of the Ph.D. program, formerly Dean and one of the major architects of the College of Nursing.

Above is the group of 1963 graduates celebrating their 50th anniversary.

At right are the members of the 1962 class, which celebrated its 50th Anniversary last year. Betty McCannon Jones, Genie Coats, Edie Fox, Gloria Ferrell, Brenda Nave, B J Goodloe

It was a great time of fellowship and it was hard to end it. Jenny McCurdy, Genie Coats, Jo Whiten Pike (Class of 1989, sister of Genie's daughter-in-law) , Brenda and Edie Fox.