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Description

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About Us
What is Yakima Valley Memorial Hospitalbeyond the obvious of course For some Memorial is the stately brick building that has been located at 28th Avenue and Tieton Drive for 60 years For others it is where they took their first breath or where they experienced a joyful birth of a loved one Some recall memories of an early trip to the emergency room for treatment of a broken arm or leg

In recent years Memorial has come to represent stateoftheart qualityoflife health care services such as the addition of the awardwinning Childrens Village facility worldclass cancer care available at North Star Lodge the comprehensive occupational and returntofunction services available at The Springs or Ohana Memorials Mammography and womens health care center

Whatever comes to mind hopefully it is far more than the main building at 2811 Tieton Drive Through innovative community collaborations Memorial has built a network of support encompassing primary health care and health education thats second to none for a community of our size

Whenever you think of Memorial we hope youll see us as a committed member of the community for past present and future generations of Yakima Valleys residents

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History

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Yakima Memorial Hospital Our Beginnings
The words Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital wherein is enshrined the living heart and spirit of a charitable and generous people are as true today as they were 60 years ago

It was in 1943 that Yakima accountant Edwin B Muellers daughter Carol was diagnosed with high polio a potentially fatal strain of the disease She was sent to the local childrens ward collection of beds at St Elizabeths Hospital Yakimas only inpatient medical facility

Sensing somehow that Carol would not survive the polio attack Ed and his wife Phyllis were determined to remain by the 9yearolds bedside Overcrowding made their desire impossible and the Muellers daughter drew her last breath with her parents in a waiting room just outside the crowded ward

Shortly after Carols death Ed made a solemn vow I never wanted another parent to be denied being with their loved ones during severe crises only because of hospital space

In 1944 Ed Mueller met his friends attorney George Martin and funeral director Donald Keith over a cup of coffee to discuss his plans for a new hospital They took their idea to James Bronson director of Boise Cascade and orchardist Ernest Kershaw Through the determination of these five men 16 community leaders banded together to explore the possibility of building a new hospital in Yakima In May 1944 the Articles of Incorporation as a nonprofit charitable organization were filed and Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital was formed

Before a formal fundraising campaign was launched trustees wanted to see if the public would support the project A weekend was chosen to take the idea to the community and test public opinion During the first few hours of the pledge drive 180000 was collected

Truly the people of Yakima wanted Memorial to be built Fundraising began in earnest A site in the middle of the lower orchards just outside Yakimas limits on what is now Tieton Drive was selected A Chicago architect specializing in hospitals was chosen and building plans were approved in 1946

On July 7 1947 The Honorable William O Douglas Justice of the United States Supreme Court formally dedicated the hospital site Construction by William Yeaman amp Co began on May 24 1948 At the formal groundbreaking ceremony members of the board of trustees each turned a shovel of dirt using a golden spade Just a year later the cornerstone of the new hospital was laid engraved with a message for all to ponder Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital wherein is enshrined the living heart and spirit of a charitable and generous people

By June 3 1950 the building was complete and ready to receive visitors Almost 15000 people toured the hospital during open house festivities On June 20 Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital opened its doors to patients with 146 beds and 155 employees supported by over 200 auxiliary members who worked as unit clerks dietary aides office help and wherever else they were neededincluding furnishing homemade sandwiches cookies and coffee for the hospitals first cafeteria