News : VGH lighted angels, benches to honor four who contributed much over many years

Stars and angels honor three people who contributed greatly to VGH over the years.

The 2012 VGH Tree of Lights.

Benches like this will soon be a memorial to Beverly Anderson at VGH.

The lighted angel figures in front of VGH are there this year in memory of three people who have had a huge impact on health care in our region for nearly 50 years, from Dr. Anthony joining the practice of Drs. Blumgren and Weideman in 1962 to Mrs. Music retiring as the Director of the VGH Health Care Foundation in July of 2010. In the spring, two stone benches will be placed around the newly-built fountain to remember and honor the life of Beverly Anderson and her family. These four individuals have made an indelible mark on the Virginia Gay Hospital & Clinics.

Dr. Anthony

Dr. Anthony passed away in February at the age of 79. He wasa native of Council Bluffs and attended the University of Iowa. He graduated from the University of Iowa Medical School in 1959, interned at Broadlawns Hospital in Des Moines and then served in the U.S. army until 1962. Soon after he was discharged he came to Vinton. He worked here his entire career – over 38 years. Dr. Anthony wore “many hats” during his career at Virginia Gay Hospital & Clinics, but he never forgot where he came from and how important it is to treat others with dignity.

La Teresa (Music) Klingman

La Teresa (Music) Klingman, who passed away just last month, started working at Virginia Gay Hospital on October 1, 1963. Over the next 47 years she, too, would fill many roles at the hospital, starting as an LPN in the Acute Care wing and finishing with 20 years as the Director of the VGH Foundation. It was in her role as Foundation Director that she made her biggest impact. She was instrumental in the development of the Cedar View senior residential complex, the “Investment in our Future” fundraising campaign, and most recently, the “Commitment to Caring” campaign which led to the hospital’s largest expansion project ever. In all, including the “Tree of Lights” fundraising effort, La Teresa was responsible for obtaining nearly $4.5 million dollars in donations from the communities VGH serves.

Charles Yundt

Charles M. Yundt passed away in July. Mr. Yundt was a successful businessman for many years in Vinton. He was the President of the Vinton Produce Company which he later transformed into Iowa Ham Processing. Mr. Yundt loved his family and his community. In addition to providing for the economic needs of many families in our community, he felt it was important to give back to the community. He was a 50-year member of Wesley United Methodist Church where he served as Chairman of the Finance Committee and the Trustees. He also served on the Board of the Brenton Bank (the current Farmers Savings Bank), was a past President of the Vinton Lion’s Club, and he was a very active member of the Virginia Gay Hospital Board.

Benches to honor the late Beverly Anderson

Beverly Anderson, along with her husband John, and their children Craig and Jody, have been incredibly generous to the community of Vinton. They’ve shared their time and treasure with the Virginia Gay Hospital, the Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District, the Vinton Park and Rec Department, many deserving students by providing scholarships at graduation, and likely in many other ways we don’t even know about.

Beverly and John built a successful business from the ground up and worked side by side for decades. She loved the business and felt blessed to be one of the few who couldn’t wait to go to work every day. She was a “people person” who always had a smile for others and truly cared about their wellbeing. She was like Dr. Anthony, Mrs. Klingman, and Mr. Yundt in that regard, always putting the welfare of others ahead of their own.

The Virginia Gay health care network continues to thrive and grow because of the dedicated leadership of the Hospital and Foundation Boards, the compassionate care provided by the VGH and Clinic employees, and the support of people like Dr. S.L. Anthony, La Teresa Music Klingman, Charles Yundt, and Beverly Anderson. Thank you for a lifetime of dedicated service and compassion for the needs of others.