Celebrating Bev Wainwright: A Heart for Service at BCMH
After 20 years of dedicated volunteer service, Bev Wainwright is retiring from her role with the Bates County Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. Bev will be honored during the Auxiliary Appreciation Banquet on April 22, 2025, where she will be recognized for her contributions and presented with a gift in gratitude for her years of service.
Bev joined the BCMH Auxiliary in 2004, shortly after retiring from Butler Elementary School, where she worked in the kitchen. Not long after retiring, Bev visited a hospital in the Kansas City area and noticed a volunteer working at the front desk. That small moment left a lasting impression.
“I saw someone like me—retired—giving their time for a worthy cause,” Bev recalled. “It interested me right away.”
That inspiration soon turned into action. Bev became a staple at BCMH, serving in many roles over the years. She could be found working in the Gift Shop or greeting patients and visitors at the information desk. At various times, she served on the Foundation Scholarship Committee, worked as the coordinator for the Auxiliary’s call tree, and was the group’s dedicated historian, helping to preserve the stories and moments that make the Auxiliary so special.
Her creative spirit was just as generous as her time. A lifelong knitter, Bev often donated her handmade items to the Gift Shop or created gifts for other local nonprofits like the Senior Center. Her warmth, creativity, and kindness were well known across the hospital.
“The good Lord’s been with me, I know that,” she said. “I really love this hospital; everyone is so nice here. They’ve been so good to me.”
Bev and her family moved to the Butler area from Freeman, Missouri, in 1995. She is a proud mother of three, grandmother to seven, and has been blessed with nine great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. She fondly remembers traveling with her late husband, who passed away in 2018. Among her favorite memories were visiting the Twin Towers in New York City in 1984 and trips to Mexico and Canada.
Bev made many close friendships during her years at BCMH, and those connections meant the world to her. “I enjoyed it so much, I really did. I made a lot of friends.”
Though she stepped away from volunteering in 2024 due to health concerns, Bev’s heart for service continues to inspire. Her contributions have left a lasting legacy of kindness and community at BCMH.
We are deeply grateful to Bev Wainwright for her years of service and the compassion she shared with our hospital family. Her dedication will always be remembered.
