Honoring Liz Schlechty: A Legacy of Care and Compassion at BCMH
After more than a decade of volunteer service, and a lifetime dedicated to caring for others, Liz Schlechty stepped into a well-earned retirement from her role as a volunteer at Bates County Memorial Hospital. Liz retired from volunteer service in 2024 and will be honored at the Auxiliary Recognition Banquet on April 24, 2025, where she will be presented with a gift in appreciation of her years of service.
While many at BCMH know Liz from her welcoming presence at the front desk, fewer may remember that her commitment to our hospital began long before her volunteer years. Liz grew up in Atchison, Kansas, and after graduating high school at just 17, she started work at Atchison Hospital as a nursing assistant. It was the beginning of a lifelong journey in healthcare.
Liz pursued formal nurse training through a three-year program at Bethany Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas. Over the years, she worked in obstetrics, surgery, and recovery across several hospitals, including Lakeside Hospital. She came to BCMH in the late 1990s, working across multiple departments—ER, surgery, skilled nursing—and was known for her calm skill and nurturing demeanor. She especially enjoyed surgery, saying, “You’re always seeing something different… it was really interesting.”
In 2005, a head-on collision on Highway 291 left her with serious injuries, and her recovery was long. But her resilience shone through, and by 2006, she was back at BCMH, this time as a registered nurse at what was then the hospital’s only rural health clinic in Adrian. She retired in 2012 after 13 years of dedicated service.
Not one to sit still, Liz returned just a year later in 2013—not as a nurse, but as a volunteer. “I just decided to give something back to the community,” she said. She became a friendly face at the information desk, helping visitors and supporting hospital staff wherever she was needed. She also inspired and advised other volunteers, including suggesting a meaningful donation for a blanket warmer in the Long-Nissen Infusion Center during its renovation.
Liz retired from her volunteer service in 2024, citing changes to her eyesight that made driving difficult. Though she may no longer be walking the halls of BCMH, her impact remains deeply felt.
She fondly remembers her time volunteering, saying, “If you have some extra time, it’s good. You meet a lot of people and get to know them.” And to Liz, that sense of connection and of giving back was always at the heart of her work.
We thank Liz Schlechty for a lifetime of care, and for the many ways she’s made BCMH a better place for patients, staff, and the entire community.
